Israel Iran War News Highlights: UK moving assets, jets, to Middle East amid Iran crisis

Israel launched blistering attacks on the heart of Iran's nuclear and military structure on Friday, deploying warplanes and drones previously smuggled into the country to assault key facilities and kill top generals and scientists -- a barrage it said was necessary before its adversary got any closer to building an atomic weapon.
Iran retaliated late on Friday by unleashing scores of ballistic missiles on Israel, where explosions flared in the skies over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and shook the buildings below.

In a second round of attacks, sirens and explosions, possibly from Israeli interceptors, could be heard booming in the sky over Jerusalem early on Saturday. The Israeli military urged civilians, already rattled by the earlier wave of missiles, to head to shelter.

The Iranian outlet Nour News, which has close links with the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, said a wave was being launched. Associated Press journalists in Tel Aviv could see at least two Iranian missiles hit the ground, but there was no immediate word of casualties.

"We will not allow them to escape safely from this great crime they committed," Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a recorded message on Friday in which he vowed revenge. Iran's UN ambassador said 78 people were killed and more than 320 wounded in Israeli attacks.

Israel's paramedic services said 34 people were wounded in the barrage on the Tel Aviv area, including a woman who was critically injured after being trapped under rubble. In Ramat Gan, east of Tel Aviv, an Associated Press journalist saw burned out cars and at least three damaged houses, including one where the front was nearly entirely torn away.

US ground-based air-defence systems in the region were helping to shoot down Iranian missiles, said a US official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the measures.

Israel's ongoing airstrikes and intelligence operation and Iran's retaliation raised concerns about an all-out war between the countries and propelled the region, already on edge, into even greater upheaval.

Israel had long threatened such a strike, and successive American administrations sought to prevent it, fearing it would ignite a wider conflict across the Middle East and possibly be ineffective at destroying Iran's dispersed and hardened nuclear programme.

But a confluence of developments triggered by Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack -- plus the reelection of US President Donald Trump -- created the conditions that allowed Israel to finally follow through on its threats. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the US was informed in advance of the attack.

On Thursday, Iran was censured by the UN's atomic watchdog for not complying with obligations meant to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon.

Countries in the region condemned Israel's attack, while leaders around the globe called for immediate deescalation from both sides.

The UN Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting for Friday afternoon at Iran's request. In a letter to the council, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the killing of its officials and scientists "state terrorism" and affirmed his country's right to self-defence.

Israel's military said about 200 aircraft were involved in the initial attack on about 100 targets. Its Mossad spy agency positioned explosive drones and precision weapons inside Iran ahead of time, and used them to target Iranian air defences and missile launchers near Tehran, according to two security officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

It was not possible to independently confirm the officials' claims.

Among the key sites Israel attacked was Iran's main nuclear-enrichment facility in Natanz, where black smoke could be seen rising into the air. It also appeared to strike a second, smaller nuclear-enrichment facility in Fordo, about 100 kilometres (60 miles) southeast of Tehran, according to an Iranian news outlet close to the government that reported hearing explosions nearby.

Israel said it struck a nuclear research facility in Isfahan, too, and said it destroyed dozens of radar installations and surface-to-air missile launchers in western Iran. Iran confirmed the strike at Isfahan.

Israel military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said the Natanz facility was "significantly damaged" and that the operation was "still in the beginning".


Above-ground section of Natanz facility destroyed

UN nuclear chief Rafael Grossi told the Security Council that the above-ground section of the Natanz facility was destroyed. He said all the electrical infrastructure and emergency power generators were destroyed, as well as a section of the facility where uranium was enriched up to 60 per cent.

The main centrifuge facility underground did not appear to have been hit, but the loss of power could have damaged the infrastructure there, he said.

The first wave of strikes had given Israel "significant freedom of movement" in Iran's skies, clearing the way for further attacks, according to an Israeli military official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to discuss details of the attack with the media.

The official said Israel is prepared for an operation that could last up to two weeks, but that there was no firm timeline.

ran launched a new wave of missile strikes targeting Israel early Saturday, intensifying a rapidly escalating conflict in the region. The Iranian state broadcaster confirmed the offensive, saying, "A new round of Iranian missile attacks on the Zionist regime begins from Tehran and Kermanshah," a city in western Iran.

The Israeli military immediately issued warnings, urging residents across the country to seek shelter. “Sirens sounded in several areas across Israel following the identification of missiles from Iran toward the state of Israel,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement.

The IDF added that the Israeli Air Force was “operating to intercept and strike where necessary to eliminate the threat.”

The Israeli military's Home Front Command said Saturday that citizens can leave shelters across the country but to remain near them after the army intercepted a new wave of Iranian missile attacks on Israel.
"It is now permitted to leave protected spaces in all areas across the country and to remain near them," the Home Front Command said.

The Israeli army on Saturday called on Israelis to take shelter after detecting new missile launches from Iran toward Israel.
"Sirens sounded in several areas across Israel following the identification of missiles from Iran toward the state of Israel," the military said in a statement.

"At this time, the IAF is operating to intercept and strike where necessary to eliminate the threat," it said, instructing citizens to seek shelter as AFP journalists heard numerous explosions in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

Iran has launched a new wave of missile attacks on Israel early Saturday, following Israeli strikes on multiple locations across Iran, state media reported.

“A new round of Iranian missile attacks on the Zionist regime begins from Tehran and Kermanshah,” Iran’s state TV announced, naming the capital and the western city as launch sites.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Saturday that Iran has launched around 150 ballistic missiles at Israel in two waves of attacks, with additional projectiles continuing to be fired throughout the day, according to The Times of Israel. The military described the situation as one in which "all of Israel is under fire."

Israeli officials confirmed at least nine missile impact sites across the country. Medics reported that approximately 22 people were injured in the attacks—two in serious condition, two moderately hurt, and the rest suffering minor injuries or trauma-related anxiety. Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency medical service, has been providing treatment on the ground.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Iran had “crossed red lines” by targeting civilian areas. “We will continue to defend the citizens of Israel and ensure that the Ayatollah regime pays a very heavy price for its heinous actions,” he stated.

US officials confirmed that American forces are aiding Israel in intercepting the barrage. A US defence source noted that the assistance comes amid concerns for the safety of the hundreds of thousands of Americans residing in Israel.

In Tel Aviv, missiles caused damage to a high-rise building, and rescue teams were dispatched to extract trapped residents. In northern Israel, missile fragments struck a house and sparked a brush fire. The Israel Fire and Rescue Service responded to multiple incidents related to the attacks.

Meanwhile, IDF International Spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani confirmed that Israeli forces have carried out retaliatory strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites. “We can now confirm, IDF has carried out strikes against the nuclear plant in Isfahan. This is in addition to operations in Natanz,” he said in a post on X.

American air-defence systems and Navy assets in the Middle East helped Israel shoot down incoming ballistic missiles on Friday that Tehran launched in response to Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities and top military leaders, a US official said.
The US has both ground-based Patriot missile-defence systems and Terminal High Altitude Air Defence systems in the region capable of intercepting ballistic missiles, which Iran fired in multiple barrages in retaliation for Israel's initial attack.

Naval assets also were involved in assisting Israel as Iran fired missiles at Tel Aviv, another official said. It was not immediately clear if ships fired interceptors or if their advanced missile-tracking systems helped Israel identify incoming targets.

The United States also is shifting military resources, including ships, in the Middle East in response to the strikes.

The Navy has directed the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner, which is capable of defending against ballistic missiles, to begin sailing from the western Mediterranean Sea toward the eastern Mediterranean and has directed a second destroyer to begin moving forward so it can be available if requested by the White House, US officials said.

American fighter jets also are patrolling the sky in the Middle East to protect personnel and installations, and air bases in the region are taking additional security precautions, the officials said.

The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public or to discuss ongoing operations.

President Donald Trump met with his National Security Council principals on Friday to discuss options.

The forces in the region have been taking precautionary measures for days, including having military dependents voluntarily depart regional bases, in anticipation of the strikes and to protect personnel in case of a large-scale response from Tehran.

Typically, around 30,000 troops are based in the Middle East, and about 40,000 troops are in the region now, according to a US official. That number surged as high as 43,000 last October amid the ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran as well as continuous attacks on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen.

The Navy has additional assets that it could surge to the Middle East if needed, particularly its aircraft carriers and the warships that sail with them. The USS Carl Vinson is in the Arabian Sea -- the only aircraft carrier in the region.

The carrier USS Nimitz is in the Indo-Pacific and could be directed toward the Middle East if needed, and the USS George Washington just left its port in Japan and could also be directed to the region if so ordered, one of the officials said.

Then-President Joe Biden initially surged ships to protect Israel following the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas that launched the war in Gaza. It was seen as a deterrent against Hezbollah and Iran at the time.

On October 1, 2024, US Navy destroyers fired about a dozen interceptors in defence of Israel as the country came under attack by more than 200 missiles fired by Iran.

Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations said Saturday that 78 people have been “martyred” and more than 320 injured in Israeli airstrikes. The comments came amid escalation between the two nations, with both sides exchanging heavy missile fire in recent days.

At least 34 people were injured in Iran’s missile strikes on Israel, including woman reported to be in critical condition, Israeli rescue services said on Saturday.

​​​Iran has reported that a key aboveground component of its uranium enrichment facility in Natanz was destroyed, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said Friday.

"At Natanz, the aboveground part of the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant, where Iran was producing uranium enriched up to 60 percent U-235, has been destroyed," IAEA nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi told the UN Security Council.

US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on Friday, the White House confirmed. No further details about the conversation were immediately released.

The United States is "assisting" Israel in defending against missile attacks, a US official said Friday, amid Israel's conflict with Iran.
"I can confirm that the US is assisting in shooting down missiles targeting Israel," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity. No detail was given on the extent of the US role.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday in a message to Iranians that Israel would press its campaign after launching waves of strikes at military and nuclear sites.
"In the past 24 hours, we have taken out top military commanders, senior nuclear scientists, the Islamic regime's most significant enrichment facility and a large portion of its ballistic missile arsenal," Netanyahu said in a video statement, adding: "More is on the way. The regime does not know what hit them, or what will hit them. It has never been weaker."

Iran's atomic energy agency said Friday there was limited damage to the Fordo nuclear site south of Tehran and another site in the country's centre after Israeli attacks.
"The damage was limited to areas that did not cause any urban damage in the case of Fordo... In Isfahan, there were also attacks on several points, which were related to warehouses that caught fire," said agency spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi, adding that "the damage was not extensive and there is no cause for concern in terms of contamination".

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump discussed the conflict between Israel and Iran by phone Friday, agreeing on "the importance of diplomacy and dialogue", Starmer's office said. "The Prime Minister reiterated the UK's grave concerns about Iran's nuclear programmes," a spokeswoman said, adding that "the leaders looked forward to speaking again at the G7 in Canada next week".

The US military is assisting in intercepting missiles fired by Iran at Israel in retaliation, a US official confirmed late Saturday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Iranians Friday to unite against what he described as an "evil and oppressive regime", telling them Israel was engaged in "one of the greatest military operations in history".

"The time has come for the Iranian people to unite around its flag and its historic legacy, by standing up for your freedom from the evil and oppressive regime," Netanyahu said in a video statement after Israel struck over 200 military and nuclear sites in the Islamic republic.

"We are in the midst of one of the greatest military operations in history, Operation Rising Lion", he added.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said that Iran crossed "red lines" Friday when its missiles targeted civilian areas after Israel launched a wave of attacks on the Islamic republic. "Iran has crossed red lines by daring to fire missiles at civilian population centres in Israel," Katz said in a statement. "We will continue to defend the citizens of Israel and ensure that the Ayatollah regime pays a very heavy price for its heinous actions."

Israeli rescuers said that seven people were injured on Friday in the centre of the country, shortly after Iran fired a salvo of missiles at Israel. Speaking on Israel's Channel 12, Eli Bin, the spokesman for the Magen David Adom rescue service, said that seven people were lightly injured in central Israel. Images on Channel 12 showed what appeared to be a building hit by a missile.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Friday they launched an attack on dozens of targets in Israel after its large scale attack on the Islamic repiblic. "The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps... has executed its decisive and precise response against tens of targets, military centres and airbases of the usurping Zionist regime in the occupied territories," the Guards said in a statement carried by state media.

Israel's military sirens sounded across the country late Friday after a new salvo of Iranian missiles was identified. Israel's Home Front Command application used to warn the public of incoming projectiles said that sirens sounded across the country.

Iranian state media is claiming that Iran's air defences have successfully shot down two Israeli fighter jets. The claim, cited by news agency AFP, comes amidst a major escalation of tensions between the two nations.

Multiple explosions have been heard over Jerusalem as air-raid sirens blare across Israel, signalling a major ballistic missile attack. An Israeli military official confirmed that "dozens of Iranian ballistic missiles" are currently en route to Israel.

Air-raid sirens are currently blaring across Israel as the country faces a major ballistic missile attack launched from Iran. An Israeli military source confirmed that an estimated 100 missiles have been fired towards Israel.

Defense systems are actively working to intercept the incoming threats, and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has instructed the public to immediately seek shelter.

The Israeli military has confirmed that missiles launched from Iran are incoming towards Israel. Defence systems are actively working to intercept the threats.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has issued urgent instructions for the public to seek shelter immediately. This development follows a series of massive Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military targets earlier today, which were described by Tehran as "warmongering" and led to Iran calling for UN intervention.

Tensions in the region remain extremely high as the situation unfolds.

Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, urged the United Nations to immediately intervene against what he called Israel's "aggression and warmongering."

His call to UN chief Antonio Guterres followed a wave of massive Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear and military sites across the Islamic republic.

The Iranian foreign ministry's readout of the phone call highlighted the urgency for the UN to act. This comes amidst soaring tensions after Israel's strikes, which Iran has described as a "declaration of war" and has reportedly led to significant casualties and damage.

The UN Security Council is set to hold an emergency meeting today at Iran's request.

Israel army televised briefing cut due to incoming Iran attack, says official.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei warns that Iranian armed forces will leave Israel 'helpless.'

"Israel will no remain unscathed. We will no go for half measures in our response,"

A "massive explosion" was in Isfahan, a major city in central Iran, in a province which is home to several nuclear facilities, according to Mehr news agency.

"A few minutes ago, a massive explosion was heard in Isfahan," said Mehr, without immediately elaborating.

Sirens sounded in the Jerusalem area following projectile fire from Yemen, says IDF.

"Received a call this afternoon from FM @gidonsaar of Israel regarding ongoing developments," tweets external affairs minister S Jaishankar.

In its fresh wave of attacks on Iran, Israel targets Tehran's Fordow nuclear site and Qom city.

In a video statement, Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu revealed that the strikes on Iran were initially planned for April.

"It was necessary to act and I set the implementation date for the end of April 2025. For various reasons, it did not work out," Netanyahu said.

"We expect to be exposed to several waves of Iranian attacks," he added.

The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Friday at 3:00 pm (1900 GMT) following Israel's wave of airstrikes on Iran, current Council presidency Guyana announced.

The meeting was requested by Iran, and supported by Russia and China, a diplomatic source told AFP.

"Received a phone call from PM @netanyahu of Israel. He briefed me on the evolving situation. I shared India's concerns and emphasized the need for early restoration of peace and stability in the region," tweets PM Narendra Modi.

Israeli strikes on Friday killed at least eight people and wounded 12 others in Iran's northwestern Tabriz city and its surroundings, the provincial governor told Iranian news agency ISNA.

"At least eight people... were killed following the attacks of the Zionist regime," said Majid Farshi, governor of East Azerbaijan province, of which Tabriz is the capital.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has spoken with several world leaders, his office after Israel conducted strikes on Iran, adding that more calls are planned with the US and Russian presidents.

A statement from Netanyahu's office said that since late Thursday he had held calls with the leaders of Germany, India and France, and is expected to speak later with US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Pakistan, which does not recognise Israel, said that it stands in resolute solidarity with the people of Iran and unequivocally denounces "these blatant provocations, which constitute a grave danger and a serious threat to the peace, security, and stability of the entire region and beyond, with serious implications".

It urged the international community and the United Nations to bear the responsibility to "uphold international law, stop this aggression immediately and hold the aggressor accountable for its actions".

Global airlines cancelled flights to Tel Aviv, Tehran and other Middle East destinations, or rerouted planes, as airspaces shut following Israeli strikes on Iran.

Israel, Iran, Iraq, Jordan and Syria closed their airspaces after Israel hit military and nuclear facilities in Iran. Israel said Tehran launched drones in retaliation.

The carriers include Emirates, Qatar Airways, Air France, Lufthansa, and Lufthansa-owned Swiss.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards has confirmed that its aerospace commander had been killed with fellow officers in an Israeli air strike on their command centre.

"Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps aerospace force Major General Amirali Hajizadeh... along with a group of brave and dedicated fighters of this force, were martyred" in an Israeli attack on their command centre, the Guards said in a statement.

“We express extreme concern about the dangerous escalation of tensions in the Middle East. We strongly condemn the military action of the State of Israel in violation of the Charter of the United Nations and international law on the night of June 13,” the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.

The statement added at "unprovoked military strikes" against a sovereign UN member state, its citizens, sleeping peaceful cities, and nuclear energy infrastructure facilities are "categorically unacceptable and underscored that the international community cannot afford to be indifferent to such atrocities that destroy peace and damage regional and international security."

Iran called Israel's wave of strikes a "declaration of war", after the Israeli military hit about 100 targets including nuclear facilities and killed senior figures, among them the Tehran's armed forces chief and top nuclear scientists.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Israel it faced a "bitter and painful" fate over the attacks, while the Iranian military said there were "no limits" to its response.

In a letter to the United Nations, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described Israel's attack as a "declaration of war" and "called on the Security Council to immediately address this issue", the ministry said.

Fresh blasts heard in northwest Iran, Iranian state TV reports.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei swiftly appoints new Revolutionary Guards and armed forces chiefs to replace those killed in targeted Israeli strikes.

In separate decrees, Khamenei named Mohammad Pakpour to replace Hossein Salami as commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Abdolrahim Mousavi to replace Mohammad Bagheri as chief of the armed forces general staff.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said that Israel has the right to defend its existence and protect its citizens. He made the statement while commenting on Israel’s attacks on Iran. Merz also said that he spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier in the day, who briefed him on the operation and its goals.