Israel expands its long-range strikes deep into Iran as leaders declare their intent to stop Tehran from buying nuclear weapons
Between late Sunday, June 15, and early Monday, June 16, Iran launched a number of ballistic missile barrages at central and northern Israel, together with from Yemen through Houthi proxies, whereas Israel intensified its deep-strike marketing campaign on Iranian territory. The Israeli assaults focused command facilities, army installations, and power infrastructure throughout the nation, stretching almost 2,300 kilometers from north to south. The cross-border escalation has resulted in dozens of civilian casualties, widespread infrastructure harm, and rising fears of a broader regional battle that would pull in world powers.
The Iranian missile and drone strikes had been in direct retaliation for Israel’s large-scale air marketing campaign, which started a couple of days earlier and centered on Iran’s nuclear and missile applications. Israeli officers say the strikes intention to neutralize what they describe as an existential menace, claiming that Iran is approaching the brink of buying nuclear weapons. Iran maintains that its nuclear actions are for civilian functions, though it has enriched uranium to ranges near weapons-grade.
On Sunday night, Iran fired a heavy barrage of ballistic missiles towards northern and central Israel. The impacts resulted in at the very least eight civilian deaths and tons of of accidents. Fires and structural harm had been reported throughout Haifa and cities close to Kiryat Gat, and later in Tel Aviv and Petah Tikva. The next morning, one other wave of missiles injured 5 folks and wounded dozens extra in Tel Aviv and Petah Tikva. A constructing in Petah Tikva was hit instantly, killing 4 aged residents. An 80-year-old man died when his house in Bnei Brak collapsed from a close-by blast. Emergency groups reported that in some circumstances, even residents sheltering in secure rooms weren’t absolutely protected because of the power of the explosions.
Israeli emergency providers, together with Magen David Adom, handled over 100 folks for accidents or shock. The Israel Electrical Company confirmed harm to central energy infrastructure in Haifa, whereas firefighters labored to include blazes at energy amenities focused by Iranian strikes. In the meantime, a missile launched from Yemen by the Houthi motion triggered air raid sirens in Beersheba and the northern Negev. Israeli army forces intercepted the projectile.
Iran’s strikes additionally precipitated important disruption and destruction inside Israel’s civilian and strategic sectors. Along with human casualties, Iranian missiles struck Israel’s largest oil refinery in Haifa Bay and broken a number of electrical energy infrastructure websites. The Guardian reported that fires broke out following impacts from hypersonic missiles. Iranian media praised what it referred to as profitable focusing on of Israeli financial amenities, although Israeli officers reported that the majority incoming threats had been intercepted.
Difficult days are forward. There will probably be extra launches and impacts within the coming days.
In line with Israeli officers, greater than 100 drones launched by Iran and its proxies have been intercepted since Friday. A brand new seaborne air protection system was used for the primary time by the Israeli Navy to shoot down eight Iranian drones. Israel said that no drone had reached its territory as of Monday morning. IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin mentioned, “Difficult days are forward. There will probably be extra launches and impacts within the coming days.”
The Residence Entrance Command maintained its steerage for Israeli civilians to stay close to shelters. Faculties and nonessential workplaces stay closed. Public gatherings are banned, and authorities proceed to induce residents to not put up footage or pictures of missile impacts to stop Iran from enhancing focusing on based mostly on on-line information.
In response to Iran’s assaults, Israel has dramatically expanded its air marketing campaign. Israeli fighter jets struck dozens of army websites throughout Iran on Sunday and early Monday, focusing on amenities related to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Quds Drive. Strikes had been reported in Tehran, Shiraz, Parchin, and Mashhad, together with on radar programs, ballistic missile manufacturing websites, and a gas depot. One Israeli strike reportedly destroyed a refueling plane at Mashhad Airport, positioned greater than 2,000 kilometers from Israel. Israeli officers described this as probably the most distant strike carried out within the present operation.
Israeli Chief of Employees Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir mentioned in a video assertion that the army had “opened an air hall to Tehran,” and Israeli pilots had been now flying tons of of kilometers into Iranian airspace with minimal resistance. He described the marketing campaign as “historic and unprecedented,” claiming the operation would dismantle the infrastructure behind Iran’s nuclear program and missile capabilities.
Iran confirmed that three senior IRGC intelligence officers, together with Brig. Gen. Mohammad Kazemi and his deputy Hassan Mohaqiq, had been killed within the strikes. Israel additionally claimed to have hit the headquarters of the Quds Drive in Tehran, although unbiased verification stays restricted. Iran’s semi-official Mehr Information Company reported that 5 automotive bombs exploded in Tehran and that an Iranian international ministry constructing had been broken, although Israel denied involvement within the automotive bombings.
The Iranian authorities reported that Israel’s airstrikes precipitated extreme harm to infrastructure throughout a number of provinces. Water and sewage programs had been disrupted in components of Tehran following reported strikes on a gasoline depot and a financial institution close to the Tajrish market. Widespread web outages had been additionally reported, hampering emergency providers and public communication. Residents described issue accessing official data and took to social media to share security recommendation. The assaults sparked panic, with lengthy strains forming at gasoline stations and residents trying to depart city areas.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that the objective of the Israeli marketing campaign shouldn’t be regime change, however he acknowledged in an interview with Fox Information that such an consequence “may definitely be the outcome.” Overseas Minister Gideon Sa’ar instructed CNN, “The objective shouldn’t be regime change. That’s for the Iranian folks to resolve.”
Iran and Israel ought to make a deal, and can make a deal. We could have PEACE, quickly.
Regardless of reviews that President Donald Trump blocked a possible Israeli assassination try on Supreme Chief Ali Khamenei, Israeli officers dismissed the story as “faux information.” Trump, for his half, instructed reporters, “Typically they must combat it out,” however added {that a} deal may finally be reached between the 2 nations. On social media, he wrote, “Iran and Israel ought to make a deal, and can make a deal. We could have PEACE, quickly.”
In the meantime, the Israeli Air Drive continues to strike missile websites in western and central Iran. The IDF mentioned it had destroyed massive portions of missile launchers and infrastructure tied to Iran’s nuclear weapons program. Israeli Nationwide Safety Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi mentioned on Israeli tv that Iran had focused Israel’s power infrastructure in current assaults, trying to “plunge Israel into darkness.”
Inside Iran, the civilian toll is mounting. Iranian authorities report over 1,400 wounded and at the very least 224 folks killed for the reason that begin of Israeli strikes on Friday. Among the many useless are senior Iranian army and intelligence officers, however Tehran claims that 90% of the casualties are civilians. In response to worsening situations, Iranian officers have opened mosques, metro stations, and a few colleges to shelter residents. Water and energy outages have been reported in components of Tehran, and verified footage from The New York Occasions reveals flooding and harm in residential neighborhoods following strikes on infrastructure.
Worry and confusion are spreading amongst Iranian civilians. Residents have described lengthy queues at gasoline stations, an absence of official steerage, and widespread reliance on social media and personal messaging teams to share security suggestions. Some Iranians, recalling the Iran-Iraq Struggle, have fled cities for rural areas, whereas others stay sheltering at house.
Within the southern Israeli coastal city of Bat Yam, the place missiles struck a residential constructing, the Israeli rescue group ZAKA mentioned early Monday that two extra our bodies had been recovered from the rubble, bringing the demise toll at that web site to eight. Amongst these killed had been 5 Ukrainian nationals, together with three minors, in keeping with Ukraine’s Overseas Ministry.
Iranian proxies in Iraq and Lebanon have to this point stayed out of the combat. The Iraqi Hezbollah Brigades said that Iran didn’t want help however warned that it will goal American pursuits if the US joined the battle. Lebanese Hezbollah, nonetheless recovering from its 2024 battle with Israel, has not participated within the present escalation.
As of Monday, the Israeli army mentioned it had gained air superiority over massive components of Iran, following successive strikes that degraded Iranian radar and air protection programs. Israeli officers have emphasised that their objective is to stop Iran from buying nuclear weapons. Netanyahu instructed Fox Information, “We won’t have a second Holocaust, a nuclear holocaust.”
We won’t have a second Holocaust, a nuclear holocaust
Whether or not this unprecedented battle between Israel and Iran results in a ceasefire or additional regional destabilization stays unsure. President Trump continues to advertise a negotiated decision, however direct talks between Washington and Tehran had been canceled over the weekend. The trail to diplomacy, at the very least for now, seems blocked by missiles and the fog of battle.