Israel-Iran war LIVE updates | Sirens sound across central Israel after missile launch from Iran

Israel is set to allow outbound flights from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport starting today (Monday, Jun 23), ending a ban on departures that had been in place since June 13 due to the ongoing war with Iran. According to officials, over 1,000 passengers are expected to leave the country today, with each flight capped at just 50 passengers. The limited departures aim to help foreign nationals stranded in Israel return home and to accommodate Israelis with an urgent need to travel. Priority, as per reports, will be given to humanitarian, life-saving, and national security-related cases.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called on China to prevent Iran from blocking the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for US airstrikes. “I encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to call them about that, because they heavily depend on the Straits of Hormuz for their oil,” Rubio said in an interview on Fox News.

Why China?

About 20 per cent of the world’s oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz, and China happens to be Iran’s biggest oil customer and maintains friendly relations with Tehran.

Two supertankers, both capable of hauling about 2 million barrels of crude, U-turned in the Strait of Hormuz after US airstrikes on Iran raised the risk of a response that will ensnare commercial shipping in the region.

The Coswisdom Lake and South Loyalty both entered the waterway and abruptly changed course on Sunday, according to vessel tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. The two empty freighters then sailed south, away from the mouth of the Persian Gulf.

The Washington-based group Human Rights Activists offered the figures, which cover the entirety of Iran. It said of those dead, it identified 380 civilians and 253 security force personnel killed.

Human Rights Activists, which also provided detailed casualty figures during the 2022 protests over the death of Mahsa Amini, cross-checks local reports in the Islamic Republic against a network of sources it has developed in the country.

Iran has not been offering regular death tolls during the conflict and has minimised casualties in the past. On Saturday, Iran’s Health Ministry said some 400 Iranians had been killed and another 3,056 wounded in the Israeli strikes.

Australia backs the United States’ air strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities but wants to avert a spiral into “full-scale war” in the Middle East, the government said Monday.

“Iran cannot be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon. We support action to prevent that from occurring, and this is what this is,” Foreign Minister Penny Wong told reporters.

“What happens now matters. We do not want to see escalation. We do call for diplomacy, de-escalation and dialogue because the world does not want to see full-scale war in the Middle East.”

The IDF on X said that across central Israel, sirens have been sounded after missiles were launched by Iran.

Oil prices surged in early trade on Monday, after the United States joined Israel’s campaign against Tehran’s atomic programme by bombing Iranian nuclear sites.

Brent and the main US crude contract WTI both jumped more than four per cent to hit their highest price since January. They then pared gains and at 2335 GMT Sunday Brent was up 2.4 per cent up at $78.83 per barrel and WTI was up 2.5 per cent at $75.66.

The US State Department issued a “worldwide caution” for Americans on Sunday, saying the conflict in the Middle East could put those travelling or living abroad at an increased security risk.

“There is the potential for demonstrations against US citizens and interests abroad,” and “the Department of State advises US citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution,” said the State Department’s security alert.

Air defences activated in Iran’s central Tehran districts to counter ‘enemy targets’: Iranian news agencies

B-2 Stealth Bombers return home safely to Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri following strikes against Iranian nuclear sites.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei’s adviser Ali Shamkhani, reacting to the US strikes, said ‘surprises will continue’. While Donald Trump in his address said, ‘key nuclear facilities have been completed and totally obliterated’, Shamkhani responds with, ‘game isn’t over’.

Read more: ‘Game isn’t over’: Khamenei’s adviser Shamkhani says after US strikes Iran nuclear sites

France is to send military A400M aircraft to Israel to fly any of its citizens who wish to leave to Cyprus, the foreign and defence ministries announced on Sunday.

The flights will be carried out subject to Israel’s clearance and will supplement the chartered civilian flights already operating, the ministries added.

“There has been no substantive evidence of Iran having nuclear weapons. Iran is acting on the grounds of self-defence, sovereignty and protection of our people,” said Amir Saeed Iravani, Permanent Representative of Iran to the United Nations

“Iran was preparing for the next round of diplomatic dialogue with US, but Israeli actions have destroyed diplomacy,” said Amir Saeed Iravani, Permanent Representative of Iran to the United Nations

After US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, praised the US airstrikes. He called it ‘brave’ and ‘necessary’, in addition to saying that the move will only eliminate the greatest threat to global security.

Read More: ‘In last 24 hours, history changed’: Israeli UN ambassador thanks US for strikes on Iran nuclear sites

Israeli Military Chief Of Staff, Eyal Zamir said, “We are on day ten of Operation ‘Rising Lion’. So far, we have achieved many objectives, including significantly damaging Iran’s (military) nuclear program. We’ve reached a turning point in the campaign, following last night’s very precise and impressive strike by the US military on key nuclear sites.

Israeli Air Force fighter jets are carrying out a new wave of strikes against Iranian military sites in Tehran and western Iran, the IDF announced. Iranian news websites report a large explosion heard in the Western city of Kermanshah.

Protesters gather in Times Square, in New York, against the US strikes in Iran.

UN chief Antonio Guterres warns of a cycle of retaliation after US carried out strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran. He said, “And yet we now risk descending into a rabbit hole of retaliation after retaliation. To avoid it, diplomacy must prevail.”

An adviser to Iran’s supreme leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei said on Sunday that the bases used by US forces to launch attacks on Iranian nuclear sites “will be considered legitimate targets.”

“Any country in the region or elsewhere that is used by American forces to strike Iran will be considered a legitimate target for our armed forces,” said Ali Akbar Velayati in a message carried by the official IRNA news agency.

Velayati added that the United States “no longer” has a place in the Middle East after its overnight strikes.

Israeli Air Force fighter jets hit an Iranian ballistic missile engine production site near Iran’s Shahrud last night, some 2,000 kilometres from Israel, IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said in a press conference.

According to the military, the strike hit “planetary mixers and critical machinery used to manufacture missile engines,” the kind being fired at Israel.

“The targeted site is part of the effort to disrupt the Iranian regime’s surface-to-surface missile production industry, which is intended to produce thousands of missiles in the coming years,” the IDF added.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu knew about the US attack on Iranian nuclear sites “at least 24 hours before,” an Israeli official has told The Times of Israel.

Israel, however, does not expect any drastic escalation by Iran, the official added. “We expect more of the same, like what they’ve done this morning.”

“It depends on Iran, not on us,” said the official on being asked if Israel is willing to end the bombing if Iran agrees to dismantle its nuclear programme. “We are happy to wrap it up now, if there’s an agreement at the end, Israel will be content with the result.”

At least nine members of the Revolutionary Guards were killed in Israeli attacks on central Iran on Sunday, local media report.

“Following the aggression of the barbaric Zionist regime and its mercenaries against two military centres in Yazd city, seven Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps personnel and two conscripts were martyred,” the Tasnim news agency said in a report, quoting an IRGC statement.

Others were injured in the attack, it adds. The Fars news agency earlier said Israeli strikes targeted two military sites in Yazd.

The leaders of Britain, France, and Germany on Sunday urged Iran not to take any actions that would further destabilize the region, following US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities overnight.

“We have consistently been clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon and can no longer pose a threat to regional security,” the government heads of the three countries said in a joint statement.

“We call upon Iran to engage in negotiations leading to an agreement that addresses all concerns associated with its nuclear programme,” the leaders add.

Iran says that it is ready to defend itself by “all necessary means,” after unprecedented US strikes on its nuclear facilities.

“Iran is resolutely determined to defend its national sovereignty, territorial integrity, national security, and people by all necessary means,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei posted on X, condemning what he described as an “unconscionable act of aggression—perpetrated by a nuclear-armed state… against a non-nuclear weapon country.”

Iran’s health ministry has acknowledged that the US strikes on the country’s nuclear facilities wounded an unspecified number of people, but claimed that none of them “showed any signs of radioactive contamination” after seeking treatment.

“For years, the Ministry of Health has set up nuclear emergency units in the nearest medical facilities to nuclear sites,” ministry spokesman Hossein Kermanpour said on X. “Fortunately, none of the injured individuals who were transferred to these centers following the American bombardment showed any signs of radioactive contamination.”

A short while ago, Israeli Air Force fighter jets flew over Iranian territory and began striking storage facilities containing long-range surface-to-surface missiles, known as “Khorramshahr,” in the Yazd area.

“They should know that this industry has roots in our country and the roots of this national industry cannot be destroyed,” said Atomic Energy Organization of Iran spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi, according to Tasnim news agency

An Israeli airstrike killed three members of Iran’s paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, semiofficial news agencies in the Islamic Republic report.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem and prayed with the Wall’s rabbi for the success of the ongoing war against Iran – and for the well-being of US President Donald Trump. Among other things, according to the special prayer text composed for Netanyahu’s visit, it was written: “And may the President of the United States be elevated for taking upon himself to expel evil and darkness from the world.”

“Earlier today (Sunday), with guidance from the IDF Intelligence Directorate, approximately 30 IAF fighter jets struck dozens of military targets throughout Iran with over 60 munitions. As part of the strikes, IAF fighter jets struck the “Imam Hussein” Strategic Missile Command Center in the Yazd area, where long-range Khorramshahr missiles were stored. Approximately 60 missiles have been launched from this command center toward the State of Israel,” IDF posted on X.
“In parallel, missile launchers were struck in Isfahan, Bushehr, and Ahvaz. Strikes were also conducted on military sites involved in the production of aerial defense batteries, the ‘Third Brigade’ UAV command center, and a UAV storage facility near the command center. During the strikes, an IAF aircraft identified Iranian Armed Forces soldiers loading missile launchers and eliminated them. The IDF will continue to reach and strike in any area within Iranian territory to eliminate threats posed to the State of Israel,” it added.

Iran’s parliament has approved the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, state media Press TV reported on Sunday (June 22). A fifth of the global oil and gas supply flows through the Strait of Hormuz – a key oil shipping route.

The head of Iran’s Red Crescent Society, Pir Hossein Kolivand, says there have been no fatalities in the US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. “Fortunately, we did not have any martyrs in last night’s events of the US aggression against Iran’s nuclear facilities,” he said, according to state television.

Iran’s Health Ministry said on Saturday that at least 430 civilians have been killed and more than 3,500 wounded since Israel’s launched its surprise attack on June 13.

Iran has reported that there is ‘no danger’ near nuclear sites attacked by US. Iran also said that nuclear know-how ‘cannot be destroyed’

Asked whether regime change in Iran is off the table as a US policy goal, Hegseth replied: “This mission was not, is not about regime change.” He described the attack as a “precision operation to neutralise the threats to our national interests posed by the Iranian nuclear programme”.

The chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff says an assessment of the destruction sustained at Iran’s nuclear facilities will take time to confirm.

“I think PDA [preliminary damage assessment] is still pending and it would be way too early for me to comment on what or what my not still be there,” General Dan Caine told reporters at the Pentagon.

We devastated the Iranian nuclear program. The US strike on Iran was an incredible and overwhelming success. The operation did not target Iranian troops or people. Any retaliation by Iran will be made with force with far greater than what was witnessed last night.

Iran media reports ‘massive’ blast in Bushehr province, home to nuclear reactor

China strongly condemns the US attack on Iran and its attack on nuclear facilities under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency. This move by the US seriously violates the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law, and exacerbates tensions in the Middle East. China calls on all parties to the conflict, especially Israel, to cease fire as soon as possible, ensure the safety of civilians, and start dialogue and negotiations. China is willing to work with the international community to pool efforts, uphold justice, and make efforts to restore peace and stability in the Middle East.

Russia said Sunday that it “strongly condemned” the United States’s bombings of nuclear sites in Iran, calling the attacks “irresponsible” and a “gross violation of international law”.”It is already clear that a dangerous escalation has begun, fraught with further undermining of regional and global security,” the Russian foreign ministry added in a statement.

Israeli military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said on Sunday that the U.S. strikes on three sites in Iran early Sunday “were carried out in coordination with the IDF.” “These actions mark a crucial step stopping the Iranian regime’s aggression and its ability to pose a threat to the region and the world. The regime’s ability to threaten Israel is being dismantled piece by piece,” said Defrin.

President Emmanuel Macron will convene an emergency cabinet meeting to assess developments in the Middle East following US air strikes on Iran.

Macron has spoken with several leaders, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and plans to hold additional discussions with European and regional leaders throughout the day, the French presidency said in a statement.

France is taking all necessary measures to expedite the evacuation of its citizens wishing to leave Iran and Israel, it added.

Putin has no plans to speak to trump after US strikes on Iran, but call can be quickly arranged

Addressing a press conference in Istanbul after US strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that his country reserves its right to defend itself because the United States has betrayed diplomacy by helping Israel in its action against the Islamic Republic.

“This is a moment when the principles of liberty, responsibility, and security have triumphed,” he said in a post on X.

“Immediately enter into negotiations with the US and Israel and to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict”, said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz

Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard says it has launched 40 missiles, including its Khorramshahr-4 missile, during the latest attack on Israel on Sunday morning.

Yemen’s rebel government said on Sunday it supported a vow by its armed wing a day earlier to hit US ships in the Red Sea should Washington launch strikes on Iran. “We affirm the Republic of Yemen’s commitment to the armed forces’ declaration that they were ready to target US ships and warships in the Red Sea,” the government said in a statement after the United States launched attacks on Iran.

Iranian missiles struck Ben Gurion Airport, Israel’s biological research center, and alternate command-and-control facilities, a spokesperson for the Revolutionary Guards’ strikes on Israel said Sunday (June 22). “The missiles used in the attack were guided munitions equipped with manoeuvrable warheads capable of terminal guidance and carrying high-explosive and destructive payloads,” he added.

Iran has formally called on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to condemn recent US airstrikes on its nuclear facilities, describing the attacks as a violation of international law and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

In a letter addressed to IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, Mohammad Eslami, head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation, protested what he called “aggressive strikes on Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan nuclear sites by the United States,” urging the agency to take a clear stance.

Iran submits letter to UN, issues condemnation of US strikes on its nuclear facilities.

Pakistan condemns the US attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities which follow the series of attacks by Israel. We are gravely concerned at the possible further escalation of tensions in the region.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is following with great concern the developments in the sisterly Islamic Republic of Iran, represented by the targeting of Iranian nuclear facilities by the United States of America.

https://x.com/KSAMOFA/status/1936677836510675006

Israel’s port city of Haifa struck by its own missile. IDF confirms interceptor missiles misfired hitting Haifa.

UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, said on X, “Iran’s nuclear programme is a grave threat to international security. Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and the US has taken action to alleviate that threat. The situation in the Middle East remains volatile and stability in the region is a priority. We call on Iran to return to the negotiating table and reach a diplomatic solution to end this crisis.”

https://x.com/Keir_Starmer/status/1936675855675035868

Israir, an Israeli airline, said it is suspending the sale of seats on all its flights through July 7, citing the ongoing uncertainty. All passengers with flight reservations through July 7 can cancel their trip without fees. Passengers will be entitled to a credit voucher for the full purchase amount, which will be valid for two years on any future Israir flight. Following recent security developments — including the US attack on Iran — Israir’s operations are halted until further notice, due to the closure of Israeli airspace.

Saudi Arabia calls on the international community to double efforts in such ‘highly sensitive circumstances’ to reach a political solution to end the crisis, its foreign ministry said on X.

Iran’s foreign ministry said the US attacks Sunday (June 22) on nuclear facilities showed that Washington “will stop at no illegality or crime” to support Israel. “It has now become abundantly clear to all that the very regime which enjoys permanent membership in the Security Council is beholden to no principle or morality and will stop at no illegality or crime to serve the aims of a genocidal, occupying regime,” the ministry said in a statement, referring to the United States and Israel respectively.

The Israeli Air Force has initiated a series of strikes on military sites in western Iran. “In addition, this morning, the Air Force attacked missile launchers in Iran ready to be launched towards the territory of the State of Israel, soldiers in the Iranian military forces, and closed the circle and destroyed launchers that had launched towards the territory of the State of Israel a short time ago,” the IDF said in a post on X.

Iran’s foreign ministry to international institutions stated that “silence in the face of this blatant aggression exposes the world to an unprecedented and pervasive danger.”

Iranian authorities executed a man on Sunday after convicted of being an agent for Israel’s Mossad spy service, the judiciary said.

“Majid Mosayebi… was hanged this morning after going through the full process of criminal procedure and after his sentence was confirmed by the Supreme Court,” the judiciary’s Mizan Online website said. It also added that he sought to provide “sensitive information … to Mossad.” Iranian officials arrested multiple people suspected of spying for Israel since its attack on June 13.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry stated it considers it its right to resist with full force against US military aggression.

A Mano Maritime cruise ship transporting 1,800 stranded Israelis from Cyprus has been delayed from docking at the Ashdod port due to a directive from the Home Front Command and the ongoing closure of Israeli airspace. The cruise operator has notified passengers onboard as well as those scheduled for departure to Cyprus today about the delay.

Several missiles were reportedly intercepted in the sky above the Jordanian capital, Amman, on Sunday morning. The interceptions followed after the US launched an attack on Iran, striking three Iranian nuclear sites.

The top diplomat of Iran warned on Sunday that the US attacks on its nuclear sites “will have everlasting consequences” and that Tehran “reserves all options” to retaliate.

Iran recognises “no red lines” after the US strikes on its nuclear sites, a political analyst and host of a television talk show said on Sunday (June 22). “The Islamic Republic of Iran now considers all U.S. military bases in the region, and all forty to fifty thousand American military personnel stationed here, as legitimate targets,” Mehdi Khanalizadeh, political analyst and host of IRIB Channel 3’s “Foreign Policy” programme, said.

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed that around 20-30 ballistic missiles have been launched by Iran in its latest attack. Meanwhile, medics are scanning several impact sites for possible injuries.

After Iran launched a fresh missile attack on Israel, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said in a post on X, “A short time ago, alerts were activated in several areas across the country due to the detection of missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. The public is requested to follow the instructions of the Home Front Command. At this time, the Air Force is operating to intercept and strike wherever necessary to eliminate the threat. The defense is not hermetic, and therefore, it is necessary to continue following the instructions of the Home Front Command.”

Emergency responders and security forces are attending to reports of ballistic missile strikes in central and northern Israel as Iran launches a fresh wave of attacks. Sirens are still active in multiple locations.

Air raid sirens blared in Tel Aviv as explosions were heard in Jerusalem, according to a report by AFP.

Iran’s foreign minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, said the United States, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has violated the UN Charter, international law and the NPT by attacking the country’s peaceful nuclear installations.

“The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences. Each and every member of the UN must be alarmed over this extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behavior. In accordance with the UN Charter and its provisions allowing a legitimate response in self-defense, Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people,” Araghchi said in a post on X.

After US airstrikes on Iran’s key nuclear facilities, the Israeli military heightened its national threat level, limiting operations to essential services only. In a post on Sunday (June 22), the Israel Defence Forces’ Home Front Command directed a halt to educational activities, public gatherings, and most workplaces starting at 3:45 a.m. (0045 GMT). The development followed after President Donald Trump confirmed late Saturday (June 21) that American forces had targeted Iran’s three primary nuclear sites.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog also expressed gratitude to President Donald Trump after the US military air strikes on Iran. “In the pages of human history, this is a moment in which the principles of freedom, responsibility, and security prevailed. A moment of decision between the axis of terror and evil and the axis of hope. Thank you President Trump. Thank you United States of America. This critical action serves the security interests of the entire free world. I hope it will lead to a better future in the Middle East – and will also assist in the urgent release of our hostages from captivity in Gaza, ” Isaac Herzog said in a post on X.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed gratitude to US President Donald Trump following American air strikes on Iran. “Trump created a ‘pivot of history’ that will help lead the Middle East and beyond to a future of prosperity and peace”, Netanyahu said.

Israeli Airport Authority confirmed that following US strikes on Iran, Israel has responded by closing its airspace.

United States Senator for Missouri, Eric Schmitt, said President Trump is a foreign policy realist not an ideologue. “He has taken limited military action to achieve a crucial objective that is in the core national interest of the United States: preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons. He doesn’t want another Forever War. He wants peace. What happens now is up to Iran,” Eric Schmitt said in a post on X.

Hamas issues a statement condemning the US strike against the nuclear facilities of Iran. “This brutal aggression constitutes a dangerous escalation and a blind adherence to the agenda of the rogue Zionist occupation,” Hamas said.

The terror group stated that the Trump administration and Israel are fully responsible for the grave repercussions of this aggression. “We affirm our solidarity with our brothers in the Islamic Republic… and our complete confidence in Iran’s ability to defend its sovereignty and the interests of its people,” Hamas added.

Rep. Ilhan Omar criticised the US bombing of Iran, saying the airstrikes, launched on President Trump’s orders without congressional approval, represent a “dangerous and reckless escalation of an already volatile conflict in the Middle East.”

She added, “Military strikes will not bring peace. They will only provoke more violence, destabilize the region, and endanger U.S. troops and civilians. We’ve seen what happens when diplomacy is sidelined in favor of bombs. It only brings more death and destruction. “Congress must vote immediately on Rep. Thomas Massie and Sen. Tim Kaine’s War Powers resolutions when we return to session. The American people are tired of endless war. We need to end this madness before more lives are lost.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday (Jun 22) hailed US President Donald Trump’s decision to strike three nuclear sites in Iran. In a video message, Netanyahu said that the US has “done what no other country on earth could do.” This comes after Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that the US conducted a “very successful attack” on Iran’s three nuclear sites, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan.

Read more here.

President Donald Trump said Saturday that US air strikes had “completely and totally obliterated” Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities and threatened more attacks if Tehran does not make peace.

“There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days. Remember there are many targets left,” Trump said in a late-night address to the nation.

“If peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Donald Trump on Sunday after the president said the US military bombed three nuclear sites in Iran.

“Congratulations President Trump. Your bold decision to target Iran’s nuclear facilities with the awesome and righteous might of the United States will change history,” Netanyahu said in a video message, adding that the attacks demonstrated “America has been truly unsurpassed.”

Netanyahu added that Trump had created a “pivot of history” that will “help lead the Middle East and beyond to a future of prosperity and peace”.

Iran’s atomic agency said on Sunday that the country will carry on with its nuclear activities despite the US attacks on key facilities.

“The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran assures the great nation of Iran that despite the evil plots of its enemies … it will not let the path of development of this national industry (nuclear), which is the result of the blood of nuclear martyrs, be stopped,” the organisation said in a statement published by state media.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres voiced concern Saturday at strikes carried out by the United States on Iran nuclear sites, calling them a “dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge.”

“At this perilous hour, it is critical to avoid a spiral of chaos,” Guterres said in a statement. “There is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy.  The only hope is peace.”

Iran’s atomic energy organisation condemned Sunday the US attacks on key nuclear sites including the mountain-buried Fordo as “barbaric” and in violation of international law.

“At dawn today, the country’s nuclear sites in Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan were attacked by the enemies of Islamic Iran in a barbaric act that violates international law,” the organisation said in a statement published on state media.

The top Democrat in the House of Representatives berated Donald Trump Saturday over the US air strikes on Iran, accusing the president of pushing the country toward war.

“President Trump misled the country about his intentions, failed to seek congressional authorization for the use of military force and risks American entanglement in a potentially disastrous war in the Middle East,” congressman Hakeem Jeffries said in a statement.

US President Donald Trump, in his first address to the nation after the United States’ strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, called Tehran the ‘bully of the Middle East.’ Trump said that Iran’s nuclear sites were “completely and totally obliterated”.

Read more here.

US President Donald Trump arrives at the White House after spending the last 24 hours in Bedminster, New Jersey. Trump is set to address the nation at 10 pm (0200 GMT) on Saturday after he said the US military launched an attack on three Iranian nuclear sites including the Fordow uranium enrichment plant.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posts on X, “President Trump and I often say: ‘Peace through strength.’ First comes strength, then comes peace. And tonight, Donald Trump and the United States acted with a lot of strength.”

Advisor to the Speaker of the Iranian Shura Council: Fordow did not suffer any irreversible damage as a result of the aggression.

IRIB says, “No serious damage in Fordow.”

“We had great success tonight. Your Israel is much safer now,” President Donald Trump was quoted as saying in a phone call with Axios.

Israel army raises alert level in country after US strikes on Iran

US gave Israel ‘heads up’ before Iran strikes: White House official

On Truth Social, Trump announced, “I will be giving an Address to the Nation at 10:00 P.M., at the White House, regarding our very successful military operation in Iran. This is an HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD.”

“IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR”.

IDF Spokesperson for the Arab Media said, “With the approval of the Minister of Defense and at the conclusion of the situation assessment, it was decided that starting today at 03:45, there will be an immediate change in the home front’s sheltering policy.”

He added, “As part of the changes, it was decided to move all regions of the country to the level of essential work. The instructions include prohibiting educational activities, gatherings, and work centers, with the exception of essential work areas. You must continue to follow and obey the instructions of the Home Front Command.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson said, “The military operations in Iran should serve as a clear reminder to our adversaries and allies that President Trump means what he says. The President gave Iran’s leader every opportunity to make a deal, but Iran refused to commit to a nuclear disarmament agreement.”

“President Trump has been consistent and clear that a nuclear-armed Iran will not be tolerated. That posture has now been enforced with strength, precision, and clarity. The President’s decisive action prevents the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism, which chants “Death to America,” from obtaining the most lethal weapon on the planet. This is America First policy in action,” he added.

“God bless our brave men and women in uniform – the most lethal fighting force on the planet – as we pray for their safe return home. May God bless America.”

IDF Spokesperson for the Arab Media on X said that the nation was moving to ‘essential work only’.

“With the approval of the Minister of Defense and at the conclusion of the situation assessment, it was decided that starting today at 03:45, there will be an immediate change in the home front’s sheltering policy.”

“As part of the changes, it was decided to move all regions of the country to the level of essential work. The instructions include prohibiting educational activities, gatherings, and work centers, with the exception of essential work areas.”

“You must continue to follow and obey the instructions of the Home Front Command.”

In the aftermath of the US strike on Iran, NYPD police on X say they’re deploying additional resources to sensitive sites.
“We’re tracking the situation unfolding in Iran. Out of an abundance of caution, we’re deploying additional resources to religious, cultural, and diplomatic sites across NYC and coordinating with our federal partners. We’ll continue to monitor for any potential impact to NYC.”

US President Donald Trump on Saturday (Jun 21) announced a “very successful attack” on Iran’s three nuclear sites, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. Iranian officials confirmed that the bombing took place at 2:30 am local time.

Read more here

US President Donald Trump announces a “very successful attack” on Iran’s three nuclear sites – Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. On Truth Social, he revealed that a ‘full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow’.