Updates: Iran says US strikes betrayed diplomacy, warns of consequences

We will be closing this live page soon. Here’s a recap of the latest news.

• The US entered into the Israel-Iran conflict, striking three key nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan in attacks that threaten to spiral into a wider regional war.
• Iran has said it has the right to respond to the attacks, with the country’s ambassador to the UN telling an emergency Security Council meeting that Israel and the US have sought to “destroy diplomacy”.
• Trump’s top military official has said it is “way too early” to determine the damage caused by the strikes, walking back Trump’s earlier claim that Washington has “obliterated” Tehran’s nuclear programme.
• The US president also appeared to contradict the White House’s repeated denials that the conflict was seeking to overthrow Iran’s government, with Trump asking, “Why wouldn’t there be regime change in Iran?”

The US has bombed Iran, and Iran says it reserves all options to respond.

Al Jazeera’s Virginia Pietromarchi explains what its options are:

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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Moscow for talks on Sunday.

“Abbas Araghchi … arrived in Moscow to hold consultations with the [Russian] president and other senior officials of Russia regarding regional and international developments following the military aggression by the United States and the Zionist regime against Iran,” the official IRNA news agency said.

• Fordow: An underground enrichment facility in operation since 2006. Built deep inside the mountains, some 48km (30 miles) from Qom, north of Tehran, the site enjoys natural cover. The facility was the primary focus of Sunday’s strikes.
• Natanz: It is considered the largest nuclear enrichment facility in Iran, located about 300km (186 miles) south of Tehran. It is believed to consist of two facilities. One is the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant, a test and research facility located above ground. It is used to assemble centrifuges – rapidly rotating machines used for uranium enrichment. According to the nonprofit Nuclear Threat Initiative, the facility had close to 1,000 centrifuges. The other facility, located deep underground, is the Fuel Enrichment Plant.
• Isfahan: An atomic research facility located in Isfahan. It was built in the 1970s and was used for uranium conversion. It was the last location hit before the US bombing mission withdrew from Iranian airspace, according to officials.

It has warned of the “potential for demonstrations against US citizens and interests abroad” in the wake of US strikes on Iran.

It added that the “conflict between Israel and Iran has resulted in disruptions to travel and periodic closure of airspace across the Middle East”.

“The Department of State advises US citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution,” it said.

Iran’s IRIB state broadcaster is reporting that an Israeli Hermes 900 drone has been shot down over central Iran.

The report comes shortly after Israel said it had launched a barrage of missile attacks at Iran, including targeting a “ground-to-air missile launcher in the heart of Tehran”.

There’s been some head-scratching in Western capitals – those allied with the United States – over what to say about what has just happened.

We have a statement from the so-called E3 – France, Germany and the UK – which have been involved in nuclear diplomacy with Iran for a very long time.

They say that they discussed the latest developments in the Middle East in recent hours. What they do not say is whether they think that the strike was a good or a bad thing.

And we have different things coming out from the individual countries. A statement from France’s foreign minister notes what has happened with “concern”, whereas Germany’s foreign minister seems to see some justification. He says that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons is legitimate.

So it is difficult times for these Western leaders in terms of how exactly to respond.

Gulf states, home to multiple US military bases, are on high alert after the bombardment of Iran raised the possibility of a widening war in the Middle East.

Bahrain has told 70 percent of government employees to work from home until further notice.

“In light of recent developments in the regional security situation, we urge citizens and residents to use main roads only when necessary to maintain public safety and to allow the relevant authorities to use the roads efficiently,” Bahrain’s Interior Ministry said in a post on X.

Hasan Alhasan, a senior fellow for Middle East policy at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said the risk of an open conflict between the US and Iran could plunge the region into a devastating and potentially protracted conflict.

“While the war has so far been contained in direct hostilities between Israel and Iran, direct US involvement is a critical threshold that risks dragging the Gulf states – notably Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar, which host large US military facilities – into the conflict,” he said.

Watch the moment Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian joined Tehran’s residents protesting US attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities:

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The US president has now suggested that this conflict is, in fact, about “regime change”.

That comes as close ally Israel has so far not indicated that it has accomplished its mission, which it has said is to destroy Iran’s nuclear programme.

We should point out that when it comes to the battle damage assessment, there hasn’t been any proof that the programme has been destroyed.

Trump’s post in the midst of all of this is raising a lot of questions, particularly among US lawmakers who are concerned not only about what the end goal of this conflict is, but also whether or not it’s legal.

The Israeli army says it has completed another wave of air strikes in western Iran and Tehran, including a strike on a surface-to-air missile launcher in the heart of the Iranian capital.

It said in a statement that around 20 jets carried out the operation using over 30 munitions.

It claimed the strikes targeted missile storage and launch infrastructure, satellite facilities, and military radar sites used for aerial surveillance in the provinces of Kermanshah and Hamadan.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi noted that:

• The global nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is at stake and may collapse under current circumstances.
• At the moment, no one, including the IAEA, can assess the underground damage at Fordow.
• We must act immediately and decisively to stop the fighting and return to serious and sustainable negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme.
• Grossi again calls for maximum restraint, as military escalation threatens lives and delays a diplomatic solution.
• Iran has informed the IAEA that there has been no increase in radiation levels at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.
• IAEA inspectors are in Iran and their work requires a cessation of hostilities.

Iran’s Health Ministry says no radioactive contamination has been detected near the country’s nuclear facilities after the US strikes, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.

In a statement, the ministry cited assessments by the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran and monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Iran’s Ambassador to the UN Ali Bahreini has been addressing the UN Security Council.

Israeli and US attacks on Iran did not come about “in a vacuum”, Bahreini said, adding that they are the result of “politically motivated actions” of the US and its European partners.

Israel decided to “destroy diplomacy” when it struck Iran, two days ahead of nuclear talks that were set to take place between Iran and the US, Bahreini said.

While the West expects Iran to return to the negotiating table, he asked, how can it return to something “it never left”?

The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) has been “manipulated into a political weapon … exploited as a pretext for aggression and unlawful action”, Bahreini said.

“Pakistan has condemned the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities”, its ambassador to the UN, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, has told the UNSC.

“The sharp rise in tensions and violence as a result of the Israeli aggression and unlawful actions is profoundly disturbing. Any further escalation risks catastrophic consequences for the region and beyond,” he said.

“Pakistan stands in solidarity with the government and brotherly people of Iran during this challenging time”, Ahmad continued.

These comments come just a day after Pakistan said it would recommend United States President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.

The US’s ambassador to the United Nations, Dorothy Shea, has just spoken at the UNSC meeting. Here is a summary of what she said:

• US military strikes targeted [Iranian] nuclear facilities … with the aim of dismantling Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity.
• Iran has long obscured its nuclear weapons programme and stonewalled good faith efforts in recent negotiations.
• The time finally came for the US in the defence of its ally and in the defence of our own citizens and interests, to act decisively.
• Iran should not escalate … Any Iranian attack, direct or indirect, against Americans or American bases will be met with devastating retaliation.

Air France KLM says it has cancelled flights to and from Dubai and Riyadh on Sunday and Monday, the latest upheaval of travel in the Middle East following US strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites.

Russia’s Ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzya has told the UN Security Council that the US has “yet again demonstrated its complete contempt for the position of the international community” with its attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

“It’s prepared not only to turn a blind eye to the killings of tens of thousands of Palestinian women, children and old persons, but also to gamble with the safety and … well-being of humanity as a whole.”

Nebenzya said that through its actions in Iran, the US has opened “a Pandora’s box” in which “no one knows what new catastrophe and suffering it will bring”.

Entrances to tunnels at Iran’s Isfahan nuclear complex were hit in the US military strikes overnight, the UN nuclear watchdog said.

“We have established that entrances to underground tunnels at the site were impacted,” the International Atomic Energy Agency said.

Officials said before Israel attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities on June 13 that much of Iran’s most highly enriched uranium was stored underground at Isfahan.

China’s ambassador to the United Nations, Fu Cong, has told the UN Security Council that China “strongly condemns the US attacks on Iran and the bombing of nuclear facilities”.

“We call for an immediate ceasefire”, he said, adding that “China is deeply concerned about the risk of the situation getting out of control”.

“The parties to the conflict, Israel, in particular, should reach an immediate ceasefire” to prevent “escalation” and a “spillover” of war, he said.

“Extremely severe damage and destruction.”

The US military struck the Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites in Iran overnight, causing “severe damage and destruction”.

The top US military officer gave details of the strikes, which included the use of 14 13,600kg (30,000-pound) bunker-busting bombs.

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The UK’s ambassador to the UN, Barbara Woodward, has just spoken at the emergency special session of the UN Security Council.

“A further spiral of conflict poses serious risks to regional and international peace and stability. Our foremost priority must now be to support de-escalation,” she told the UNSC.

“The United Kingdom did not participate in US or Israeli strikes”, she said. “Military action alone cannot bring a durable solution to concerns about Iran’s nuclear programme.

“We urge Iran now to show restraint and we urge all parties to return to the negotiating table and find a diplomatic solution.”

An adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the country still had its stockpile of enriched uranium despite attacks by the US on key nuclear sites.

“Even if nuclear sites are destroyed, game isn’t over, enriched materials, indigenous knowledge, political will remain,” said Ali Shamkhani in a post on X. He added that the “political and operational initiative is now with the side that plays smart, avoids blind strikes. Surprises will continue!”

This draft resolution will not be voted on in today’s UN Security Council meeting. It’s just a draft, so it still needs to circulate among Security Council members before it goes up for a vote. The earliest would be early to mid- next week.

This draft resolution, proposed by Russia, China, and Pakistan, is concise. It’s only a page and a half long but contains two key points.

It condemns, in the strongest terms, the attacks against the peaceful nuclear sites and facilities safeguarded by the IAEA in Iran.

It states that the attack poses a grave threat to international peace and security and constitutes a serious threat to the entire safeguards regime of the IAEA. It does not specifically name the United States.

It also calls for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire.

The fact that it calls for an immediate ceasefire, if this ultimately goes to a vote, the US could very well veto it.

The United Nations chief has just spoken at an emergency special session of the Security Council. Here are the major talking points:

• The bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities by the US marks a perilous turn in a region that is already reeling.
• We now risk descending into a rathole of retaliation after retaliation.
• To avoid it, diplomacy must prevail, civilians must be protected, and safe maritime navigation must be guaranteed.
• We must act immediately and decisively to halt the fighting and return to serious, sustained negotiations on the Iran nuclear programme.
• The Non-Proliferation Treaty is a cornerstone of international peace and security. Iran must fully respect it.
• All member states must act in accordance with their obligations under the UN Charter and other rules of international law, including international humanitarian law.
• The UN stands ready to support any and all efforts toward a peaceful resolution.

Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan said Tehran will decide how to respond to US aggression based on the evolving “conditions of war”.

He described Israel’s reliance on the US as a sign of its weakness in the face of Iran’s missile and defense capabilities, the IRNA news agency reported.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian says the United States must “receive a response” to attacks on nuclear sites in Iran during a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron.

“The Americans must receive a response to their aggression,” Pezeshkian told the French leader, according to the official IRNA news agency.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi calls the US attack on Iran’s nuclear sites “unforgivable” and says Iran has “to respond based on our legitimate right to self-defence”.
• Iranian authorities say nine security personnel have been killed after Israeli forces struck two military sites in the central province of Yazd, Iran’s Fars News Agency reports.
• At the request of Iran, the UN Security Council will meet at 19:00 GMT today to discuss the US attacks on three Iranian nuclear facilities.
• Israel’s attacks on Gaza continue, with medical sources telling Al Jazeera that 37 Palestinians have been killed since this morning.
• British Foreign Secretary David Lammy says the United States has taken action to address the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran, adding that “Iran must never have a nuclear weapon”.

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy says the United States has taken action to address the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran, adding that “Iran must never have a nuclear weapon”.

“The UK did not participate in these strikes,” he said.

Lammy added that he spoke with his counterparts in both Iran and Israel to emphasise the need for de-escalation and urged a “diplomatic, negotiated solution to end this crisis.”

Here is a reminder that alongside its strikes on Iran, Israel has been continuing its attacks on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic are reporting that, according to medical sources, 37 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip today.

They say eight of those were killed while seeking aid.

Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip continue … [targeting] different residential areas.

The situation now is more difficult as most of Gaza’s ambulances are no longer operating after the fuel stock ran out.

Israeli forces continue to attack aid seekers and Palestinians who have been very close to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution points, where at least seven Palestinians have been killed since this morning.

In hospitals, the situation is collapsing and deteriorating as facilities are running out of fuel and medical supplies.

Tehran has not issued a clear line regarding a warning or threat, nor has it outlined the next steps.

This is because the decision-maker will be the Supreme National Security Council, and it’s clear that making a decision is a very complicated process.

On one hand, Iran wants to retaliate, and on the other, it seeks to maintain a certain distance from the US.

We must remember that Israel and Iran are both regional powers, while the US is a superpower with nuclear facilities and nuclear bombs.

Iran is trying to impose a kind of deterrence, a balance of pain for pain, by daily launches, and we are seeing the Iranian rockets hitting bases in different Israeli cities.

The Iranian president spoke about how the Israelis dragged the US into this war, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that all the US bases are under observation, but neither gave a clear line on what the next step will be.

That is up to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, which will need to convene to make a decision.

The political bureau of Yemen’s Houthi rebels has condemned the “cowardly” US attack on Iran and its nuclear facilities, calling it a flagrant violation of international laws.

In a statement, the group said the strike poses a direct threat to both regional and global peace and security.

The attack, it said, is part of the United States’ “unlimited criminal support” for Israel and comes in retaliation for Iran’s firm stance in support of the “Palestinian cause and resistance movements”.

The group added that such aggression will not deter Iran from continuing its “path of resistance” against both the US and Israel.

US President Donald Trump says the attacks that he ordered on Iran obliterated the country’s key nuclear sites, and he’s threatening more strikes if Tehran does not return to diplomacy.

But what if it decides not to, and what are the risks of a regional spillover?

Watch this episode of Inside Story:

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Iranian authorities said nine security personnel were killed after Israeli forces struck two military sites in the central province of Yazd, Iran’s Fars News Agency reports.

According to officials, those killed include seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and two soldiers.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a phone call from Iran’s president, during which he was briefed about the conflict between Iran and Israel, India’s Foreign Ministry says.

Modi emphasised the need for immediate de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward and reiterated India’s support for early restoration of regional peace, security and stability, the statement said.

Flights to and from Israel’s main airport will partially resume on Monday, the Israel Airports Authority (IAA) has said, with safety restrictions limiting the number of flights and passengers.

“Beginning tomorrow, Monday, June 23, 2025, both incoming and outgoing flights will resume at Ben Gurion Airport, marking a significant step toward the gradual restoration of routine international travel,” the IAA said in a statement.

Hezbollah has issued a strongly worded statement condemning what it called the “barbaric and treacherous” US attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, calling it a blatant violation of international law.

The Lebanese group warned that the “uncalculated” attack could drag the region and the world into chaos if it is not stopped.

“The attack exposes the true face of the United States as the greatest threat to regional and global stability,” the statement said, accusing Washington of acting as “the official sponsor of terrorism” and attempting to compensate for Israel’s failure to halt Iran’s missile response.

Hezbollah said the assault gave Iran “the full right to respond and defend its land, people, and sovereignty”.

The group also accused US President Donald Trump of trying to subjugate “free nations”.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul says Iran must engage in negotiations.

Preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons was legitimate, the top diplomat told German public broadcaster ARD, adding that European nations are prepared to assist in potential talks between Iran and the US.

Israel’s emergency medical service, Magen David Adom, says 24 people have been killed in the country since Israel began its war with Iran 10 days ago.

It said its teams have treated 1,213 Israelis, including 16 who are in serious condition.

The rest have been treated for moderate and mild injuries, as well as for anxiety, it said.

Israeli attacks on Iran have killed more than 400 people.

An anti-NATO protest in The Hague shifted its focus to Iran after overnight US strikes on Iran.

The peaceful demonstration took place days before The Hague hosts a NATO summit. The planned protest against NATO’s military policies pivoted to condemnation of the US attacks on Iran, with participants voicing concern about rising tensions in the Middle East.

Thousands marched towards the Peace Palace, home to the ICJ. Organisers estimated the crowd at 5,000.

Protesters carried banners calling for de-escalation, diplomacy, and for NATO to be disbanded, with some saying “No Iran war” and “Hands off Iran”.

Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, has condemned the US attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, calling it “a blatant violation of all international laws and UN regulations”.

He said the strikes grant Iran the legitimate right to respond, IRNA reported.

Velayati also criticised Trump, saying he acts “thoughtlessly and against America’s own interests”, comparing him with “his irrational puppet Netanyahu”.

This was all part of the operation that the Americans put in place.

It was carried out by deception and massive military coordination and ordnance. We heard that there were 14 bunker-buster bombs effectively used on some of the nuclear sites, as well as a number of Tomahawk missiles.

What is really interesting is the way that the language changed in less than 12 hours, with Donald Trump saying that the targets were completely obliterated, and now we’re hearing Rubio and Vance saying they’d set the Iranian nuclear programme back by a considerable amount of time.

You can see they’re still assessing the damage.

Pakistan has condemned the strikes ordered on Iran by Trump, a day after Islamabad said it would nominate the US president for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Pakistan said Trump’s decision to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities violated international law and that diplomacy was the only way to resolve the Iran crisis.

“The unprecedented escalation of tension and violence, owing to ongoing aggression against Iran, is deeply disturbing. Any further escalation of tensions will have severely damaging implications for the region and beyond,” Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif telephoned Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and “conveyed Pakistan’s condemnation” of the US attacks, a statement from the Pakistani leader said.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has condemned “in the strongest possible terms” the US’s “brutal military aggression” against its “peaceful nuclear facilities“.

It called the attack “a grave and unprecedented violation” of the UN Charter and international law and held the US “fully responsible for the dangerous consequences and far-reaching implications of this egregious act of aggression”.

It said Iran will defend its “territory, sovereignty, security and people by all force and means”, adding that “silence in the face of such blatant aggression would plunge the world into an unprecedented level of danger and chaos”.

It urged the UN Security Council to convene an emergency session to condemn the US’s attack on Iran unequivocally.

The Foreign Ministry also accused the International Atomic Energy Agency chief, Rafael Grossi, of “evident bias in favour of warmongering parties” that “paved the way for this recent catastrophe” as it called on the agency to “immediately convene and carry out its legal responsibility”.

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) said it would set up a ministerial contact group to establish regular contact with international and regional parties to support de-escalation efforts and “stop the aggression against Iran”.

In a joint declaration following a meeting of OIC foreign ministers in Istanbul, the 57-member group condemned “the aggression of Israel” against Iran, stressing “the urgent need to stop Israeli attacks and their great concern regarding this dangerous escalation”.

It also urged the international community to take “deterrent measures to stop this aggression and make Israel accountable for crimes committed”.

Separately, the OIC said in a statement that it is “deeply concerned” over the US attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, saying it considers this a “dangerous escalation that could further heighten tensions and threaten peace, security, and stability in the region”.

Most Iranians in the country are still unable to go online due to state-imposed internet restrictions, but those who have managed to find a working proxy connection are also reacting angrily to the war.

“Thirty years of Iranian oil money and thirty years of economic opportunities that could have turned tens of millions of people into citizens like the rest of the world have become three deep pits,” wrote one user on X, in reference to the nuclear sites.

“Trump says let me just drop the heaviest bomb in the world and then it will all be about peace,” another user sarcastically wrote.

Iranian state media and many hardline politicians have led a furious response after the US strikes on the three nuclear sites.

Read our full story here.

We’ve published several pieces over the past few hours following the US’s air attacks on Iran:

Here are a few highlights:

• From the ground: Iranians react after US bombs nuclear sites in support of Israel
• Latest: US joins Israel in attacking Iran, strikes Fordow, Isfahan, Natanz sites
• Explainer: How far will US strikes set back Iran’s nuclear programme?
• Opinion: By bombing Iran, the US continues to make the world safe for war
• Watch: US lawmakers condemn Trump for ‘unconstitutional’ attack on Iran

And there’s plenty more here.

Barbara Leaf, assistant secretary of state for near eastern affairs under President Biden, says the top priority for Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is “the preservation of the Islamic republic”.

“If the regime feels that its existence is at stake, it will use any weapons that come to hand, whether the arsenal of ballistic missiles, depleted conventional forces, terrorism, asymmetrical attacks,” said Leaf.

“But it has clearly signalled throughout the nine days of this conflict with Israel that it is trying to avoid a second front, and that is a front with the US. So really, at this moment, how the US comports itself, I think, will be the decisive factor.”

The US Department of Homeland Security’s National Terrorism Advisory System has published a bulletin warning of a “heightened threat environment” in the US homeland, according to a CBS News report.

The report said that the bulletin does not include a warning of specific threats, but says “low-level cyberattacks against US networks by pro-Iranian hacktivists are likely, and cyber actors affiliated with the Iranian government may conduct attacks against US networks”.

The US State Department has ordered the departure of family members and non-emergency government personnel from Lebanon, citing the volatile security situation in the region, according to a notice emailed to US citizens in the country.

The US had last year ordered the departure of family members and non-essential staff during Israel’s war on Lebanon, but that order was later lifted.

Iran doesn’t have nuclear arms but the US and its allies in the West painted it as the biggest threat to the region.

Meanwhile, they fully support Israel – the only country in the Middle East with nuclear weapons – as it carries out a genocide in Gaza and attacks Iran.

AJ+’s Tony Karon breaks down how this double standard is fueling regional instability – and strengthening the case in Iran for seeking nuclear weapons as a deterrent.

While it is clear that US air strikes hit Iran’s enrichment site buried in a mountain at Fordow, it is not yet possible to assess the damage done underground there, the UN’s nuclear agency chief Rafael Grossi says.

Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency that Grossi leads have not been able to examine Iran’s nuclear facilities since the first strikes by Israel on June 13.

Grossi told CNN he hoped they would be able to return to Fordow and other sites as soon as possible.

Footage verified by Al Jazeera shows massive plumes of smoke rising over several buildings in Iran’s central Yazd province, where Israel says it struck a missile storage facility.

Earlier, Iranian media reported massive explosions in Yazd as air defence systems mobilised.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has issued a threat against Iran, saying a retaliation to the United States strikes on nuclear sites would be “the worst mistake they’ve ever made”.

“Regime change is certainly not the goal of what we’re working on here”, Rubio, who also serves as national security adviser, claimed in an interview, adding that the US was still “prepared to talk” to Tehran just hours after bombing it.

As we reported earlier, Israeli officials said bodies of three captives have been recovered in Gaza.

The army said the bodies of Ofra Keidar, Yonatan Samerano, and soldier Shay Levinson were recovered “in a special operation”, without providing more details.

Around 50 captives are still believed to be in Gaza, with Israeli media reporting that less than half of them are believed to be alive.

Hamas has repeatedly said it is ready to release all captives in exchange for a permanent end to the war, the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from the enclave and the release of all Palestinians from Israeli jails.

However, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the terms and continued his war on the Gaza Strip, which has killed about 56,000 Palestinians.

For more, read this story.

Isaac Herzog said, “we all need to commend President Trump for his bold decision” to strike Iranian nuclear sites.

“It’s a historic decision, an outstanding decision that clearly can shift the direction of the Middle East to a much better future,” said Herzog, adding that while “regime change” in Iran is not one of the “official goals of this war”, it would be a “very blessed side effect”.

The UAE has voiced deep concern over attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities and urged immediate de-escalation to prevent further instability in the region.

In a statement, the UAE’s Foreign Ministry stressed the need to prioritise diplomacy and dialogue to resolve disputes, calling for comprehensive efforts that promote “stability, prosperity, and justice”.

Israeli stocks have hit record highs after US strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites.

The broad Tel Aviv 125 index closed 1.8 percent higher, extending gains to nearly 8 percent over the past week, while the blue-chip TA-35 gained 1.5 percent.

At the request of Iran, the UN Security Council will meet later today to discuss the US attacks on three Iranian nuclear facilities.

The emergency session is expected to start at 19:00 GMT.

China has released a brief statement, but it didn’t mince its words.

It says it strongly condemns this attack by the US on Iran’s nuclear facilities, and that it’s a violation of the UN Charter and international law.

Beijing said that this will only worsen the situation in the Middle East, and that all parties must return to dialogue. It also said it stands ready to work with the international community to find a peaceful solution.

China is very anxious about the situation escalating to a greater conflict. The question, though, is whether it will itself participate or get involved.

I think it’s highly unlikely that we’ll see any action from Beijing, apart from these strong words, because they do remain very cautious when it comes to international conflicts. China doesn’t want to get itself embroiled in this conflict unless there’s a very, very good reason.

Let’s bring you up to speed with the latest developments:

• Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi calls the US attack on Iran’s nuclear sites “unforgivable”, says Iran has “to respond based on our legitimate right to self-defence”.
• The US military confirms it used B-2 bombers, which it says appeared to completely evade Iran’s air defences, to carry out the overnight strikes on Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan facilities.
• It also says initial battle damage assessments indicate the facilities “sustained extremely severe damage and destruction”.
• While Iran has accused the US of blowing up diplomacy, US Vice President JD Vance has expressed hope Tehran will return to the table and agree to a “long-term settlement”.
• Israel’s attacks on Gaza continue, with 51 killings recorded over the past 24-hour reporting period, according to the Health Ministry in the besieged territory.

In parallel to attacking Iran, and making periodic attacks on Lebanon, Israel is continuing to target civilians across Gaza.

More than 50 Palestinians have been killed in the last 24-hour reporting period, medical sources say, with the attacks concentrated in southern Khan Younis, central Gaza, and northern Gaza City. At least six of those were killed while waiting for aid.

In the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces have continued to carry out a raid on the village of Sanur, south of Jenin, for a second consecutive day.

Soldiers imposed a curfew and turned entire neighbourhoods into military posts, Wafa news agency reported.

Separately, the Palestinian Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs said Israeli authorities have issued or renewed administrative detention orders against 34 Palestinian detainees.

Palestinian Civil Defence teams said they responded to 17 incidents involving falling shrapnel over the past 24 hours, as Israel and Iran continue to exchange attacks.

The Danish shipping company says, however, it’s ready to re-evaluate the safety of its vessels moving through the Strait based on available information.

“We will continuously monitor the security risk to our specific vessels in the region and are ready to take operational actions as needed,” Maersk said in a statement.

Investors and energy markets have been on high alert since Israel launched a wave of surprise air strikes across Iran on June 13, fearing disruption to oil and gas flows out of the Middle East, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint between Iran and Oman through which 20 percent of global energy supplies moves.

The head of the Roman Catholic Church has urged people to stay mindful of the suffering in Gaza, where daily Israeli attacks continue to kill and wound hundreds, even as Israel’s conflict with Iran escalates following the US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

“In this dramatic scenario, which includes Israel and Palestine, the daily suffering of the population, especially in Gaza and other territories, risks being forgotten, where the need for adequate humanitarian support is becoming increasingly urgent,” Pope Leo said in a weekly prayer with pilgrims.

The pontiff, the first-ever from the US, also warned against a broader “irreparable” war.

“Let diplomacy silence the weapons, let nations chart their future with peace efforts, not with violence and bloody conflicts,” Leo said. “Every member of the international community has a moral responsibility: to stop the tragedy of war before it becomes an irreparable abyss.”

Following US attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities, Behrouz Kamalvandi, a spokesperson for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, says efforts to develop the civilian nuclear sector will go on.

“This is not the first time our facilities are attacked,” Kamalvandi told Iran’s YJC news agency. “Considering our capabilities, the nuclear industry must continue.”

The organisation confirmed attacks took place on its Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz sites. Iran said there were no signs of radioactive contamination at the three locations.

Iran has maintained its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only, and US intelligence agencies assessed that Tehran is not actively pursuing a nuclear bomb.

A very clear message from the United States that this is not an open-ended operation, although there was a warning that while it is intentionally limited, the capabilities of the US military are not.

Therefore, in the words of the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff during the Pentagon news conference, retaliation on US or American assets, interests, people, and allies, as well, would be a “very poor choice”.

What is clear is this was a well-coordinated operation. President Donald Trump on Thursday said he would give the Iranians a two-week window. The decision was made probably sometime later on Thursday or early on Friday, and that is when everything started in motion.

The Americans are saying this was a huge success, but as we heard from the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, they obviously still have to get full intelligence from the site, and this will take some time. So they don’t know whether it has been a huge success. But what it does do is send a real message.

And if there was one irony throughout that 30-minute news conference, it was that several times they talked about how it was important to keep the circle of knowledge very tight.

Of course, when there was an attack in Yemen earlier this year, Pete Hegseth not only included a journalist in the talks about what was going to happen, he also included his wife, so the idea that the security is much tighter, perhaps that really was a lesson to be learned for the defence secretary.

In the lead-up to the US attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites, lawmakers from both main parties pushed measures to require Trump to first seek congressional approval, as Congress has the constitutional authority to declare war or authorise the use of force for specific purposes.

Trump’s decision to bypass Congress in launching the strikes has again led to accusations from critics that he is disregarding the constitution.

“Trump said he would end wars; now he has dragged America into one,” Senator Christopher Van Hollen Junior said in a statement. “His actions are a clear violation of our Constitution – ignoring the requirement that only the Congress has the authority to declare war.”

Read more here.

The B-2 stealth bombers flew 13,000km from the US state of Missouri to Iran and air-refuelled en route to deploy GBU-57 “Massive Ordnance Penetrator” bombs – the heaviest conventional weapons (13,600kg) in the US’s arsenal.

Designed to pierce 60 metres of concrete/rock before detonating their 2,400kg warheads, these bunker-busters can target underground facilities.

Watch our video explainer below:

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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.

Vice President JD Vance has claimed the US attacks had successfully set back Iran’s nuclear weapons programme, adding that Trump now hopes to pursue a diplomatic solution.

“We do not want to protract this or build this out any more than it’s already been built out. We want to end their nuclear programme,” Vance told NBC’s Meet the Press.

“We want to talk to the Iranians about a long-term settlement here,” he added.

As we’ve been reporting, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said the US strikes have blown up any possibility of diplomacy.

Beijing has “strongly condemned” the US attack on Iran, noting its nuclear facilities were under the safeguards of the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency.

“The actions of the US seriously violate the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law, and have exacerbated tensions in the Middle East,” China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“China calls on the parties to the conflict, Israel in particular, to reach a ceasefire as soon as possible, ensure the safety of civilians, and start dialogue and negotiation.”

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.

He declined to comment on specific moves taken to protect US troops based in the Middle East from potential Iranian retaliation.

“Our joint force remains ready to defend the United States – our troops and our interests in the region,” said Caine.

We now have more from the US defence secretary.

“This is a plan that took months and weeks of positioning and preparation, so that we could be ready when the president of the United States called,” he told reporters.

“It took a great deal of precision. It involved misdirection and the highest [level] of operational security. Our B-2 bombers went in and out of these nuclear sites without the world knowing at all.”

Al Jazeera is reporting from Jordan because it has been banned from Israel and the occupied West Bank.

This is a major victory for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the international stage, but it’s also a victory for him domestically.

This is a man who does not have the confidence of a large part of the Israeli public, and he’s very concerned about his legacy. He was able to speak to the Israeli people to tell them that he had promised to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities and now he has delivered.

Attacking Iran, of course, is a point of consensus among Israelis. That’s why we’ve heard people from across the political spectrum – both leaders of the opposition and members of the coalition government – congratulating and thanking US President Donald Trump for what they see as a historic day.

Israel, and specifically Netanyahu, has been trying to achieve this for three decades.

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Gulf states, home to multiple US military bases, are on high alert after the bombardment of Iran raised the possibility of a widening war in the Middle East.

Bahrain has told 70 percent of government employees to work from home until further notice.

“In light of recent developments in the regional security situation, we urge citizens and residents to use main roads only when necessary to maintain public safety and to allow the relevant authorities to use the roads efficiently,” Bahrain’s Interior Ministry said in a post on X.

Hasan Alhasan, a senior fellow for Middle East policy at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said the risk of an open conflict between the US and Iran could plunge the region into a devastating and potentially protracted conflict.

“While the war has so far been contained in direct hostilities between Israel and Iran, direct US involvement is a critical threshold that risks dragging the Gulf states – notably Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar, which host large US military facilities – into the conflict,” he said.

We have some comments from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Pezeshkian accused the US of being the “main cause” of Israel’s hostile actions against Iran, according to translated comments published on the IRNA news agency.

“Although they initially tried to conceal their role, after the decisive and deterrent response of our country’s armed forces and the observation of the Zionist regime’s [Israel’s] obvious inability, they inevitably came to the fore,” he said, referring to the US.

According to IRNA, Pezeshkian said despite the losses suffered by the country, it was now time to set aside differences and “activate the great capacities of the people”.

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.

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Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has warned the US to prepare for retaliation.

The IRGC said it would “use options beyond the understanding” of the US and Israel that “must expect regrettable responses”.

It described retaliation as “its legitimate right to self-defence”.

“The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is well aware of the terrain of this combined and full-scale imposed war and will never be intimidated by the clamor of Trump and the criminal gang ruling the White House and Tel Aviv,” an IRGC statement said.

The US attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites are a “flagrant” breach of international law, says Russia.

“The irresponsible decision to subject the territory of a sovereign state to missile and bomb attacks, whatever the arguments it may be presented with, flagrantly violates international law, the Charter of the United Nations, and the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council,” Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“We call for an end to aggression and for increased efforts to create conditions for returning the situation to a political and diplomatic track.”

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi plans to travel to Moscow to meet President Putin tomorrow.

Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno said his country is “very concerned” over the escalating tensions in light of the US attacks on Iran.

“It is not a military solution that will bring peace and stability to the Middle East, but rather diplomacy, and therefore we hope that everyone will return to the negotiating table,” Albares told the broadcaster RTVE.

Narendra Modi, the prime minister of India, says he has spoken to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in light of the US air attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities, expressing “deep concern” over the situation.

“Reiterated our call for immediate de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward and for early restoration of regional peace, security and stability,” Modi wrote on social media.

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, says the “absolute majority” of nations are against “the actions of Israel and the United States”.

“Trump, who came as a peacemaker president, started a new war for the US,” he said on his Telegram channel after Washington’s strikes on Iran.

“The United States is drawn into a new conflict with the prospect of a ground operation. With this kind of success, Trump won’t win the Nobel Peace Prize.”

Turkiye’s Foreign Ministry has expressed serious concern about the repercussions of the US attack on Iran’s nuclear sites, warning it has caused the risk of escalation to spike.

In a statement cited by Turkiye’s Anadolu news agency, the ministry said only negotiations could resolve the nuclear dispute and called on all parties to act responsibly.

It was not clear whether the US would continue attacking Iran alongside its ally Israel, which has been engaged in a war with Iran for nine days. Countries around the globe are calling for diplomacy and no further escalation.

Iran, however, has pledged to respond.

High-quality satellite images taken on June 19 and June 20 show unusual activity involving trucks and vehicles near the entrance to the underground fuel enrichment facility at Fordow.

The images captured by Maxar show a group of 16 cargo trucks positioned along the access road leading to the tunnel entrance of the facility. The majority of these trucks were later relocated roughly 1km (0.6 miles) northwest of the road leading to the facility.

The visuals also depict additional trucks and several bulldozers near the site’s main entrance, including one truck positioned directly adjacent to the primary tunnel entrance.

Safe Airspace, a website run by OPSGROUP, a membership-based organisation that shares flight risk information, says the US attacks on Iran may increase risks to US operators in the region.

“While there have been no specific threats made against civil aviation, Iran has previously warned it would retaliate by attacking US military interests in the Middle East – either directly or via proxies such as Hezbollah,” it said.

Safe Airspace said it’s possible airspace risks could now extend to countries including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.

“We continue to advise a high degree of caution at this time,” it said.

Iran says it used the Kheibar Shekan, also known as Khorramshahr-4, in its attack on Israel earlier. Here are some things to know about the weapon:

• The medium-range ballistic missile has been developed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
• Unveiled in 2022, it is believed to have the heaviest payload of Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal.
• Its range is estimated at 1,450km (900 miles)
• The name Khorramshahr-4 is derived from the Iranian city of Khorramshahr, which witnessed intense fighting during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s.

Here’s a recap of the latest developments:

• Iran says it has the right to resist “with all its might” after the US’s “criminal” attacks on its nuclear facilities.
• The IAEA says it’s unaware of any off-site radiation at any of the three targeted nuclear sites, including Fordow. It will convene an emergency meeting on Monday.
• Iran launched two missile volleys at Israel in quick succession, claiming to target military bases, research centres, and Ben Gurion airport.
• Israel’s emergency service says at least 20 people have been injured.
• Several European leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, have urged Iran to return to nuclear talks.
• But Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the “US decided to blow up that diplomacy”.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says “the criminal American regime” has not learned the lessons of past Middle East wars and will suffer the consequences after bombing Iran.

“The US’s repetition of past failed follies demonstrates strategic incompetence and disregard for the realities on the ground in the region,” the IRGC said in a statement.

“Instead of learning from repeated failures, Washington has effectively placed itself on the front lines of aggression by directly attacking peaceful [nuclear] installations.”

The paramilitary force said the flight locations of the US aircraft that participated in the attack “have been identified and monitored”.

“The number, dispersion, and size of US military bases in the region are not a strength but have doubled their vulnerability,” the IRGC warned.

European Council President Antonio Costa has urged “respect for international law and nuclear safety” following the US strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites.

“Diplomacy remains the only way to bring peace and security to the Middle East region. Too many civilians will once again be the victims of a further escalation,” he said, adding that he is alarmed by the latest developments.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said “stability must be the priority” and called for “Iran to engage in a credible diplomatic solution”.

“The negotiating table is the only place to end this crisis,” she said.

German Chancellor Merz called on Iran to immediately re-enter nuclear talks with the US so there can be a diplomatic solution, according to a spokesperson.

As we previously reported, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi asked in a social media post a short while ago, “How can Iran return to something it never left, let alone blew up?”

The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross says international law isn’t a choice but an obligation after the US attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites.

“The intensification and spread of major military operations in the Middle East risk engulfing the region – and the world – in a war with irreversible consequences,” ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric said in a statement.

“The world cannot absorb limitless war. Upholding international humanitarian law is not a choice – it is an obligation. Civilians must be spared from the conduct of hostilities.”

Spoljaric said ICRC has delegations in both Iran and Israel and is mobilising teams and supplies to scale up to increasing needs.

“[However], no humanitarian response can substitute for political will to prioritise peace, stability and human life,” she said.

At least 27 people have been wounded in Israel after Iran launched 40 missiles in response to the US-Israeli attacks.

One of the bombing targets was Ramat Aviv in Tel Aviv, with missiles tearing holes in the facades of apartment blocks.

“Houses here were hit very, very badly,” said Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai. “Fortunately, one of them was slated for demolition and reconstruction, so there were no residents inside.”

“Those who were in the shelters are all safe and well. The damage is very, very extensive, but in terms of human life, we are OK,” Huldai added.

The Israeli military has given more details about the targets of its latest strikes in western Iran.

The attack, it said, successfully targeted two F-5 jets stationed at Iran’s Dezful airport in the western Khuzestan province.

In the attacks earlier this morning, the military said it destroyed eight Iranian missile launchers, six of which were “ready for immediate launch toward” Israeli territory. Last night, 20 Israeli jets attacked dozens of targets in central Iran, including weapons production and storage sites, as well as the airport in Isfahan, it added.

The semi-official Tasnim news agency is reporting that Israeli forces have bombed the city of Tabriz, targeting the IRGC’s Martyr Madani camp, and wounding at least two people.

Footage of the attack, verified by Al Jazeera’s Sanad agency, showed thick smoke rising over Tabriz following the attack.

The UK was not involved in the US strikes on Iran and didn’t receive a request for its Diego Garcia base to be used, but it was informed before the attack, Trade Minister Jonathan Reynolds says.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer will spend the morning talking to allies, Reynolds told Sky News.

Earlier, Starmer hailed the US attack on Iran’s nuclear sites, saying Iran can “never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon”.

Fox News host Sean Hannity says he spoke with Trump shortly after the US attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites and reports that it used “six huge bunker buster bombs” in the hit on the Fordow facility.

The bombs, he said, were dropped by the B-52 bomber aircraft.

Hannity also said Iran’s Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites “were wiped out with 30 Tomahawk missiles launched by American submarines some 400 miles away”.

Iranian officials say the facilities were evacuated before the US attacks, with one legislator saying the damage at Fordow is not serious.

The Iranian foreign minister has issued a new statement on social media, commenting on European officials urging Iran to “return” to negotiations following the US attacks.

“Last week, we were in negotiations with the US when Israel decided to blow up that diplomacy. This week, we held talks with the E3/EU when the US decided to blow up that diplomacy,” Abbas Araghchi wrote on X.

“What conclusion would you draw? To Britain and the EU High Rep, it is Iran which must ‘return’ to the table,” he said.

“But how can Iran return to something it never left, let alone blew up?”

The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, is calling for a return to dialogue.

“Iran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, as it would be a threat to international security,” she said in a post on X.

“I urge all sides to step back, return to the negotiating table and prevent further escalation. EU Foreign Ministers will discuss the situation tomorrow,” she added.

We have more regional reactions to the US attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Oman, which had helped mediate recent nuclear talks between the US and Iran, denounced “this unlawful act of aggression” and urged “immediate and comprehensive de-escalation”.

The official Oman News Agency quoted a Foreign Ministry spokesperson as saying the sultanate was “profoundly concerned” and warned that the US action risks widening the conflict and constitutes a “flagrant violation” of international law and the UN Charter.

Qatar said dangerous tensions following the US attacks would lead to “catastrophic repercussions” on both regional and international levels. Its Foreign Ministry deplored the “deterioration” of the status quo in a statement and emphasised the necessity to stop all military operations and immediately return to dialogue and diplomatic channels to resolve outstanding issues.

Iraq expressed its deep concern and condemnation of the targeting of Iran’s nuclear facilities and said the military escalation posed a serious threat to regional peace and security.

Iran is calling for an investigation into the US attacks on its nuclear facilities.

That’s according to a letter from the country’s nuclear chief, Mohammad Eslami, to IAEA head Rafael Grossi, Iran’s SNN news network reported.

Eslami urged Grossi to condemn the US action and take appropriate measures. He criticised Grossi for his “inaction and complicity”, adding Iran will pursue “appropriate legal measures”.

“This letter expresses its protest against the gross violation of international laws and regulations, especially the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty,” it said.

Earlier, Grossi said he’s calling an emergency meeting of the IAEA’s 35-nation Board of Governors following the US air attacks.

Iran has the legal right to withdraw from the nuclear Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons – based on its Article 10 – following US strikes on three nuclear facilities, Abbas Golroo, head of the parliament foreign policy committee, says.

Article 10 states that an NPT member has “the right to withdraw from the Treaty if it decides that extraordinary events have jeopardized the supreme interests of its country”.

NPT is a landmark international treaty aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and promoting the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

It was opened for signature on July 1, 1968, and entered into force on March 5, 1970.

It’s the middle of the night here in the United States, and most people are not aware of the US attack on Iran’s nuclear sites.

So far, congressional reaction has split largely along party lines: Democrats are calling the strikes illegal under the 1973 War Powers Act. They’re also, in some cases, calling for the president’s impeachment.

Republicans, for the most part, are supportive, but there are a couple of notable Republicans, such as Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky and Congressman Thomas Massie, who have condemned the air strikes.

Massie is trying to push for a resolution that would prevent the Trump administration from continuing further attacks on Iran. But as of right now, the Republican-controlled Congress does not appear to be allowing that resolution to come to the floor for a vote in either the Senate or the House.

We are not entirely certain whether this latest round of Iranian missile launches targeting Israeli territories is intended as a direct response to the recent US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities or if it is a continuation of Iran’s retaliation against ongoing Israeli attacks.

This is important to keep in mind in light of the recent statement from the IRGC, in which they said the 20th wave of Iranian missile attacks on Israeli territories began just a few hours ago.

They also indicated they are now deploying one of their most advanced missiles, the Kheibar Shekan, as part of their retaliatory measures, as Israeli attacks continue to target Iranian nuclear facilities, military sites and residential buildings.

The Foreign Ministry has issued a strong condemnation of the US attacks. It asserted these attacks took place while Iran was in the middle of diplomatic negotiations.

We have a statement from Saudi Arabia following the US air attacks on nuclear sites in Iran.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is following with deep concern the developments in the Islamic Republic of Iran, particularly the targeting of Iranian nuclear facilities by the United States of America,” the kingdom’s Foreign Ministry said.

The statement also highlighted the need to “exercise restraint”, reduce tensions, and prevent further escalation, urging the international community to step up efforts towards reaching a “political solution”.

We have a statement from International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Grossi.

“In light of the urgent situation in Iran, I am convening an emergency meeting” of the IAEA Board of Governors for Monday, he wrote on social media.

Al Jazeera is reporting from Jordan because it has been banned in Israel and the occupied West Bank.

In terms of missiles, there’s no comparison between what Iran is launching and what Hamas used to launch. That is why the degree of success of Israel’s multi-layered air defence system is very different.

It was far easier to intercept locally made rockets from Gaza than it is to intercept the Iranian-made missiles that have extremely different capabilities. Some are described to be hypersonic.

That explains what we’ve seen in terms of damage, which has been extensive with Iranian strikes causing a large radius of impact. Some buildings have suffered heavy damage from the impact of the missiles, even if they weren’t targeted.

This is a different type of war for Israel.

The Israeli military has released a statement on an explosion that took place in the northern city of Haifa earlier this morning, despite no air raid warnings sounding there.

“During the launches carried out from Iran this morning towards the territory of the State of Israel, no alert was activated in the city of Haifa. Initial investigation indicates that a fall was detected in the city area, and the possibility of an interceptor failure is being examined,” it said in a post on X.

“This is not a malfunction in the warning system and an advance warning was issued to the area. The incident is being investigated,” it added.

The crash left three people injured, according to The Times of Israel.

The British prime minister has spoken out in favour of the US military action against Iran, saying the attacks “alleviate” the “threat” posed by Tehran’s nuclear programme.

“Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon,” he said in a post on X.

“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,” he added.

For its part, Iran has vehemently denied developing a nuclear weapon and says its atomic programme is for peaceful purposes. The IAEA also says it has found no evidence that Iran is building a nuclear weapon.

Israel’s largest carriers, El Al, Israel Airlines, Arkia and Israir, say they will suspend flights allowing people to return to the country until further notice.

El Al also said it would extend its cancellation of scheduled flights through June 27.

Airlines continue to avoid large parts of the Middle East after US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, according to the flight tracking website FlightRadar24.

Traffic was already skirting airspace in the region because of recent missile exchanges between Israel and Iran.

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Iran’s Foreign Ministry has issued a statement slamming the US’s latest strikes on its nuclear facilities as a “gross and unprecedented violation” of international law, and saying it has the right to resist such “aggression”.

“The world must not forget that it was the United States that, in the midst of a diplomatic process, betrayed diplomacy” by supporting Israel’s “aggressive action”, and is now waging “a dangerous war against Iran”, the ministry said in a statement carried by the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

The ministry said it has become clear that the US “adheres to no rules or ethics, and in order to advance the aims of a genocidal and occupying regime, spares no lawlessness or crime”.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran considers it its right to stand with all its might against US military aggression and the crimes committed by this rogue regime, and to defend the security and national interests of Iran,” it added.

US Senator Chris Murphy has joined the chorus of criticism over Trump’s decision to attack Iran.

“I was briefed on the intelligence last week. Iran posed no imminent threat of attack to the United States,” Murphy said in a social media post. “Iran was not close to building a deliverable nuclear weapon. The negotiations Israel scuttled with their strikes held the potential for success.”

Other Democratic legislators have also questioned the legality of the attacks on Iran, noting that while presidents have the power to respond to imminent threats, Trump is yet to explain what, if any, immediate danger Iran poses to the US.

Al Jazeera is reporting from Jordan because it has been banned in Israel and the occupied West Bank.

The Israeli army says Iran launched two volleys with a total of 27 missiles. Twenty-two in the first volley and five in the second.

The areas that were targeted were quite large, spanning from the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, to the upper Galilee, to the northern and central coastal areas. Ten separate sites were impacted, either directly by missiles or by large shrapnel, and there’s extensive damage in those sites, especially in the Tel Aviv area and Haifa. We do not know the nature of the buildings struck in these attacks.

Initial reports from Israeli medical services say there are up to 16 injuries.

Medical crews are still combing through damaged areas to make sure they have treated all those injured.

This is certainly the first time that we’ve seen two volleys coming in such close succession. Usually, there are hours between each volley of missiles. This time, it was less than half an hour.

Kuwait’s National Guard says it has not detected an increase in radiation levels in the country following the US attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites.

In a statement, it said the the “Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Chemical Defense and Radiation Monitoring Center had not detected any increase in radiation levels in Kuwaiti airspace or waters, and that the situation was normal”.

A man convicted of spying for Israel has been executed, the Iranian judicial news outlet Mizan Online reports.

“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,” Mizan said.

Mosayebi allegedly sought to provide “sensitive information” to Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, it added.

Caught in a decades-long shadow war with Israel, Iran has executed numerous individuals over their alleged links to Mossad, particularly those accused of sabotage and assassination efforts aimed at undermining its nuclear programme.

Reza Kardan, the deputy director of the Atomic Energy Organization and the head of the National Nuclear Safety System Center in Iran, says that “no radiation contamination or nuclear radiation has been observed outside” the sites and facilities hit by US air strikes.

“Preliminary plans had been made and measures had been taken to protect the safety and health of the dear people of the country, and despite the criminal actions this morning in attacking nuclear facilities, due to the previously planned measures and the measures taken, no radiation contamination or nuclear radiation has been observed outside these sites and facilities,” Kardan said, according to the IRNA news agency.

“People can continue their normal lives in the areas around these sites without any worries,” he added.

Carriers have continued to steer clear of significant areas of the Middle East today following the US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, according to the flight tracking website FlightRadar24.

“Following US attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, commercial traffic in the region is operating as it has since new airspace restrictions were put into place last week,” it said on social media.

Its website showed airlines were not flying in the airspace over Iran, Iraq, Syria and Israel. They have chosen other routings such as north via the Caspian Sea or south via Egypt and Saudi Arabia, even if it results in higher fuel and crew costs and longer flight times.

Air traffic was already diverting around the region’s airspace due to recent missile exchanges.

We have more global reactions to the US attacks – this time from Australia and New Zealand.

The Australian government appeared to offer tacit support for Trump’s actions, saying Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programme has been a threat to international security.

It said it notes Trump’s statement that now is the time for peace, and added, “We continue to call for de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy.”

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters, meanwhile, expressed worry about the action, but did not condemn the attacks.

“It is critical further escalation is avoided,” Peters said. “New Zealand strongly supports efforts towards diplomacy. We urge all parties to return to talks. Diplomacy will deliver a more enduring resolution than further military action.”

The semi-official Fars news agency is reporting that Iran’s mission to the UN has demanded an urgent meeting of the Security Council following the US’s attacks on its nuclear facilities.

The mission described the US bombing as a “blatant and illegal aggression”, and demanded it be condemned in the strongest possible terms.

The mission also called for “all necessary measures to be taken within the framework of the Council’s responsibilities under the United Nations Charter, so that the perpetrator of these heinous crimes is held fully accountable and does not escape punishment”.

Some of the first global reactions to the US attacks have come from Latin America. And they have been quite critical.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel strongly condemned the US bombing, saying it constituted a “dangerous escalation” and a serious violation of the UN charter. He added that it “plunges humanity into a crisis with irreversible consequences”.

Chilean President Gabriel Boric also called the US action illegal.

“Chile condemns this US attack,” he wrote on X. “Having power does not authorise you to use it in violation of the rules that we as humanity have given ourselves. Even if you are the United States.”

Mexico, meanwhile, called for dialogue.

“In keeping with our constitutional principles of foreign policy and our country’s pacifist conviction, we reiterate our call to de-escalate tensions in the region. The restoration of peaceful coexistence among the states of the region is the highest priority,” the Mexican Foreign Ministry wrote on X.

Venezuela also denounced the attack.

In a statement on Telegram, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil said his country “firmly and categorically condemns the bombing carried out by the US military, at the request of the state of Israel”. He also called for an “immediate cessation of hostilities”.

Al Jazeera is reporting from Jordan because it has been banned from Israel and the occupied West Bank.

Right now, the only way one can see Israel backing down is if the US and Iran reach an agreement.

At this point, given everything that we’ve heard from Washington and Tehran, that doesn’t look like it’s on the horizon.

The reports from the Israeli media, citing military sources, talk about continuing Israeli strikes.

Meanwhile, Israel is bracing itself for an Iranian response.

Estimates in the Israeli media, on the Army Radio, are that Iran’s first response will be towards Israel, and so restrictions on movement in Israel have been increased to the maximum.

The US Arms Control Association, a nonpartisan group, has condemned US attacks as “illegal” and says it only increases the risk of Iran and other countries seeking nuclear weapons.

“President Donald Trump’s decision to join Israel’s illegal attacks against the Iranian leadership, civilian targets, and the country’s major nuclear sites represents an irresponsible departure from Trump’s pursuit of diplomacy and increases the risk of a nuclear-armed Iran,” the organisation said in a statement.

“The failure to resolve the Iranian nuclear crisis will further erode confidence in the global nonproliferation system and encourage more states to consider the pursuit of nuclear weapons to thwart attacks by other nuclear-armed states,” it added.

The United States has significant assets in and around the Gulf region.

Five Air Force expeditionary wings are based in the Gulf: two in Kuwait, and one each in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, which includes squadrons of F-15 and F-16 fighter jets.

The Fifth Air Force Expeditionary wing based in Qatar has no offensive capabilities of its own, but provides extensive intelligence and air refuelling for Air Force units in the region.

The number of air defence sites has grown over the last 18 months with new ones built in Kuwait and a proposed site for an additional missile defence system in Qatar.

The powerful US Fifth Fleet is based in Bahrain in the Arabian Gulf. The Carl Vinson carrier strike group has its own air wings and  afleet of accompanying ships capable of attacking targets deep inland off the coast of Yemen in the Arabian Sea.

The Israeli military says the drones launched “from the east” were intercepted near its border with Jordan.

The report comes as Israel braces for a possible retaliatory attack from Iran following the US strikes today.

In a statement, the Palestinian armed group says it condemns “in the strongest terms the brazen aggression of the United States against the territory and sovereignty of Iran”.

“The US aggression against Iran is a dangerous escalation, blind obedience to the occupiers’ agenda, and a clear violation of international law,” Hamas says.

“We declare our solidarity with Iran, its leadership, and its people, and we have full confidence in Iran’s ability to defend its sovereignty.”

Here’s more reaction from Democratic legislators on the attacks on Iran.

• Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer called for the enforcement of the War Powers Act, which limits the president’s ability to use the US military, saying that “no president should be allowed to unilaterally march this nation into something as consequential as war with erratic threats and no strategy”.
• Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said Trump has “impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations”. She added, “It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.”
• Congresswoman Ilhan Omar said the strikes on Iran “mark a dangerous and reckless escalation of an already volatile conflict” in the Middle East, and called for “this madness” to end before more lives are lost.
• Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari called Trump’s actions “illegal” and said she will be calling for an immediate emergency session of Congress to vote on the War Powers Resolution.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a US Muslim rights group, has said the US attack on Iran is an “illegal and unjustified” act of war that comes under pressure from the “out-of-control” Israeli government, and despite the longstanding conclusion of US intelligence that Iran was not building a nuclear weapon.

The American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the best-known pro-Israel group in the US, praised the strikes ordered by Trump and said that the US “must now work with our allies to protect our troops and regional interests against Iranian attacks”.

The Israel Airports Authority says it has closed its airspace until further notice “due to recent developments”.

“The airspace of the State of Israel is closed to entry and exit due to recent developments,” the authority said in a statement, noting that “land crossing points [with Egypt] and Jordan are operating normally”.

Let’s bring you up to speed:

• Trump says the US has “obliterated” three nuclear sites in Iran to eliminate the country’s nuclear enrichment capacity, and threatens more strikes if Tehran does not make peace.
• Netanyahu hails Trump’s “bold decision” and says the US attacks happened “in full coordination” between the two leaders and between their militaries.
• An Iranian legislator who represents Qom, where the Fordow facility is located, says the site “has not been seriously damaged”, while another provincial official says there is no danger to residents of the area.
• UN chief Antonio Guterres says US attacks on Iran mark a “dangerous escalation” that could spiral out iff control, “with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world”.
• Yemen’s Houthi rebels say the US “must bear consequences” of the strikes on Iran and that the attacks are not the end of the war, but the beginning.

Thank you.

A short time ago, the US military carried out massive precision strikes on the three key nuclear facilities in the Iranian regime, Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. Everybody heard those names for years as they built this horribly destructive enterprise.

Our objective was the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world’s number one state sponsor of terror.

Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace.

If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier.

For 40 years, Iran has been saying, “Death to America, death to Israel”. They have been killing our people, blowing off their arms, blowing off their legs with roadside bombs – that was their speciality.

We lost over a thousand people, and hundreds of thousands throughout the Middle East and around the world have died as a direct result of their hate, in particular, so many were killed by their general, Qassem Soleiman.

I decided a long time ago that I would not let this happen. It will not continue.

I want to thank and congratulate Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu. We worked as a team like perhaps no team has ever worked before, and we’ve gone a long way to erasing this horrible threat to Israel.

I want to thank the Israeli military for the wonderful job they’ve done and, most importantly, I want to congratulate the great American patriots who flew those magnificent machines tonight, and all of the United States military on an operation the likes of which the world has not seen in many, many decades.

Hopefully, we will no longer need their services in this capacity. I hope that’s so.

I also want to congratulate the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan “Razin” Caine – spectacular general – and all of the brilliant military minds involved in this attack.

With all of that being said, this cannot continue.

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. Tonight’s was the most difficult of them all by far, and perhaps the most lethal, but if peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill.

Most of them can be taken out in a matter of minutes.

There’s no military in the world that could have done what we did tonight, not even close. There has never been a military that could do what took place just a little while ago.

Tomorrow, General Caine, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, will have a press conference at 8am [12:00 GMT] at the Pentagon, and I want to just thank everybody and, in particular, God.

I want to just say, “We love you, God, and we love our great military. Protect them.” God bless the Middle East. God bless Israel, and God bless America.

Thank you very much. Thank you.

The Israeli prime minister says the US strikes on Iran fulfilled a “promise” he made to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities when Israel first launched an unprovoked attack on that country more than one week ago.

“A short time ago, in full coordination between me and President Trump, and in full operational coordination between the [Israeli army] and the United States military, the United States attacked Iran’s three nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan,” Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court over alleged war crimes in Gaza, said in a social media post.

“In doing so, the United States continued, with greater intensity and with great force, the attacks of the [Israeli army] and the Mossad on Iran’s nuclear program. This program threatened our very existence and also endangered the peace of the entire world.”

Iranian officials have repeatedly said that Iran does not plan to develop nuclear weapons but will pursue its right to nuclear energy and research.

The kingdom’s Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Commission says that “no radioactive effects were detected on the environment” of Saudi Arabia and neighbouring Gulf states after the US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Manan Raisi, who represents the Qom area where Fordow is located, says the attack on the underground nuclear site was “superficial”.

“Based on accurate information, I state that contrary to the claims of the lying US president, the Fordow nuclear facility has not been seriously damaged, and most of what was damaged was only on the ground, which can be restored,” Raisi said, according to the Tasnim news agency.

He also echoed earlier assessments that there has been no detected leakage of radioactive material after the US strikes.

DAWN, a US-based group founded by slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which promotes democracy and the rule of law in the Middle East, has said that Trump’s decision to attack Iran is illegal and betrays his promise to keep the US out of new wars.

“Trump’s unprovoked and unauthorised attacks on Iran not only violate international law but the US Constitution, which grants only Congress the right to declare war,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, DAWN’s executive director.

“Trump has recklessly launched a war that harms American interests in service of Israeli demands, and broken his promise to the American people to put America first.”

IRNA, Iran’s official news agency, says that locals “did not feel any signs of a major explosion” after the US attack on Fordow.

“Conditions in the area were completely normal,” the agency said. “Further details of the incident will be reported by official experts.”

Trump has called the strikes a “spectacular success”, but there has been no independent confirmation of their impact.

Iranian officials have also suggested that the enriched uranium at the underground facility had already been moved from the site.

It is not clear how the attacks will affect the Iranian nuclear programme.