Mohammed Kazemi, the head of intelligence for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
Iran’s intelligence chief has been killed in an Israeli strike on Tehran on Sunday.
Mohammed Kazemi, the head of intelligence for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was killed alongside Hassan Mohaqiq, his deputy, and Mohsen Bagheri, a third intelligence officer, during an attack on the capital.
Benjamin Netanyahu announced the deaths in an interview with Fox News, saying: “Moments ago, I can tell you, we got their chief intelligence officer and his deputy in Tehran.” His claims were confirmed by Iranian state media a short while later.
This latest attack on the top brass of the Iranian military comes just days after Israel wiped out four other high-ranking military officials and several nuclear scientists.
Mr Netanyahu has maintained that Israel’s offensive against Iran is a “pre-emptive strike”, intended to dismantle a covert programme dedicated to building a nuclear bomb.
He also claimed in the Fox News interview that Israel had destroyed Iran’s primary Natanz nuclear enrichment site.
The nuclear facility in Natanz was capable of enriching uranium in centrifuges up to 60 per cent, just under the purity required to build a nuclear weapon.
03:55 AM BST
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03:19 AM BST
Iran targets Tel Aviv
Rockets have fallen in Tel Aviv and damaged buildings, as Israel’s defence systems worked to intercept Iran’s strikes early on Monday.
No injuries have been reported so far.
Loud explosions were also heard in Jerusalem. Meanwhile, outside Haifa, an AFP journalist saw fires break out amid Iran’s missile barrage.
02:21 AM BST
Missiles launched towards Israel
Iran has launched a fresh wave of missiles towards Israel, the IDF has revealed.
“The defence systems are working to intercept the threat,” it said in a post on X on Monday.
Rocket trails are seen in the sky above the Israeli coastal city of Netanya – AFP
Israeli air defence systems activated over Tel Aviv – AFP
02:16 AM BST
Israelis urged to remain close to protected areas
The IDF on Monday ordered residents throughout the country to “continue to remain in close proximity to the protected areas”.
“Movement in the area should be reduced and large gatherings should be avoided,” the post on X read.
11:49 PM BST
Trump hopeful of ceasefire
Donald Trump is hopeful of Israel and Iran reaching a ceasefire agreement, but said sometimes countries “have to fight it out” first.
Talking to reporters before departing for the G7 summit in Canada, Mr Trump said the US would continue to support Israel but declined to say if he had asked Benjamin Netanyahu to pause strikes.
“We get along very well and I think we have great respect for each other,” he said, referring to Mr Netanyahu.
Mr Trump said he believes there is a good chance of a ceasefire deal being agreed at some stage.
“Sometimes they have to fight it out … we’ll see what happens,” he said.
Trump speaks to journalists before boarding Marine One – AFP
11:26 PM BST
Israel striking surface-to-surface missile sites
The Israeli military said early on Monday that it was striking surface-to-surface missile sites in Iran.
“The IDF is currently striking surface-to-surface missile sites in central Iran,” Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Nadav Shoshani wrote on X.
“We are operating against this threat in our skies and in Iranian skies.”
Damaged buildings at the Bid Kaneh missile facility, southwest of Tehran, following strikes – AFP
10:59 PM BST
IDF video claims to strike Iran’s nuclear HQ
Credit: YouTube/IDF Updates
10:47 PM BST
Iran rejects ceasefire negotiations
Iran has told mediators Qatar and Oman that it is not open to negotiating a ceasefire while it is under attack.
An official, who spoke anonymously to Reuters, said: “The Iranians informed Qatari and Omani mediators that they will only pursue serious negotiations once Iran has completed its response to the Israeli pre-emptive strikes.”
10:19 PM BST
Pictured: Israel at war
Israelis take shelter in a parking garage in Tel Aviv amid an alert of incoming Iranian missiles – Baz Ratner/AP
Rescue personnel assist an injured woman at an impact strike in Haifa, Israel, in the aftermath of an Iranian missile attack – Rami Shlush/Reuters
10:12 PM BST
Israel destroyed Iran’s main nuclear site, Netanyahu claims
Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that Israel destroyed Iran’s primary nuclear enrichment site.
Speaking to Fox News on Sunday, the Israeli prime minister said: “We’ve destroyed the main facility in Natanz. That’s the main enrichment facility.”
Israel launched missiles against Iran on Friday night, striking key nuclear sites, including the Natanz uranium facility in northern Iran, and plants in both Fordow and Isfahan.
Mr Netanyahu has maintained that Israel’s attack on Iran was a “pre-emptive strike”, intended to dismantle a covert operation dedicated to building a nuclear bomb.
The nuclear facility in Natanz was capable of enriching uranium in centrifuges up to 60 per cent, just under the purity required to build a nuclear weapon.
At least 14 Iranian nuclear scientists have also been killed since the Israeli bombardment began three days ago, according to two sources in the Gulf.
09:32 PM BST
‘Iranian counterattack will leave Israel uninhabitable’
Iran’s counterattack will ensure that Israel will “no longer be habitable”, a senior military official has said.
Colonel Reza Sayyad, a spokesman for the Iranian armed forces, warned of a “devastating response” to Israeli attacks on the Islamic republic.
He said: “The scale of the devastating response by Iran’s brave fighters will certainly encompass all parts of the occupied territories (Israel).”
“Leave the occupied territories because they will certainly no longer be habitable in the future,” and shelters will “not guarantee security”, he added in an address broadcast on state television.
09:10 PM BST
Trump ‘vetoed plan to kill Iran’s supreme leader’
Donald Trump vetoed an Israeli plan to assassinate the Iranian supreme leader, US officials have claimed.
The US president opposed an operation to kill Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, two officials told Reuters.
One of the officials said: “Have the Iranians killed an American yet? No. Until they do, we’re not even talking about going after the political leadership.”
Asked about the reports of Mr Trump’s veto during a Fox News interview, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, said: “There are so many false reports about conversations that never happened — I’m not going to get into it.”
There have been conflicting accounts about whether Mr Trump gave the green light to begin attacking Iran on Friday. He was told about the operation earlier in the week.
Mr Trump on Sunday called for a deal to be made between Israel and Iran, writing on his Truth Social platform: “We will have peace, soon, between Israel and Iran! Many calls and meetings are now taking place.”
Donald Trump reportedly vetoed a plan to assassinate Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
09:02 PM BST
Pictured: Missile strike on Haifa
Emergency personnel search through the wreckage in Haifa after an Iranian missile strike – Shir Torem/Reuters
Firefighters work to extinguish a blaze after a missile launched from Iran struck Haifa – Rami Shlush/AP
08:51 PM BST
EU foreign ministers to discuss ‘next steps’
EU foreign ministers will meet by video link on Tuesday to discuss “possible next steps” in de-escalating the conflict.
Kaja Kallas, the EU high representative, has convened a virtual meeting of foreign affairs ministers “in light of the gravity of the situation in the Middle East”, an official said.
The emergency call was organised as Iran and Israel broadened exchanges of missile and drone strikes against one another.
The EU ministers’ meeting “will provide an opportunity for an exchange of views, coordination on diplomatic outreach to Tel Aviv and Tehran, and possible next steps,” the official from Ms Kallas’s office said.
08:09 PM BST
Watch: IDF strikes missile launcher in Tehran
The IDF has shared footage of a strike on a surface-to-air missile launcher in Tehran as the conflict enters its third day.
08:05 PM BST
Two injured in Iranian strike on Kiryat Gat
Two people were injured in an Iranian strike on the town of Kiryat Gat in southern Israel, according to emergency services. Both individuals received only minor shrapnel injuries, they said.
Police reported that properties in the area were also damaged during the attack.
07:34 PM BST
Two injured in Haifa after Iranian attack
Two people have received minor shrapnel injuries following an Iranian strike on the northern Israeli city of Haifa.
The Israeli emergency services are yet to report any further injuries after the latest barrage.
07:31 PM BST
Pictured: Inside Israel during Iranian strikes
A woman gathers her belongings from her apartment in Bat Yam, central Israel, after it was struck by an Iranian missile on Sunday – Baz Ratner/AP
Beachgoers run for shelter during a fresh barrage of Iranian missile attacks in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv on Sunday – JALAA MAREY/AFP
07:15 PM BST
‘Trump knew of attack ahead of time,’ says Netanyahu
Benjamin Netanyahu said the US president knew of Israel’s intended attack on Iran ahead of time.
The Israeli prime minister said in an interview with Fox News today: “I’ve been in constant contact with President Trump.
“We’ve known each other for many years. And obviously, we informed our American friends and President Trump, our great friend, ahead of time. We did.”
Mr Netanyahu claimed that Israel shared intel with the US showing that Iran was building nuclear weapons and accused the country of intending to supply the weapons to the Houthis in Yemen.
He added that Israel and the US were “fully co-ordinated” and that Trump was “enemy number one” for Iran.
07:09 PM BST
Watch: Haifa hit by Iranian strike
Reuters footage appears to show a missile striking the northern Israeli city of Haifa.
It is not yet known if there are any casualties as a result of Iran’s most recent attack.
Credit: Reuters
07:04 PM BST
Five Ukrainians among dead in Bat Yam
Five Ukrainian nationals have been confirmed among the dead after an Iranian missile strike on an apartment building in Israel’s Bat Yam.
The Ukrainian foreign ministry told broadcaster Ukrinfrom that three of its nationals killed were children and that its diplomats remained in close contact with Israeli police.
Seven people died in the attack on Bat Yam, including an eight-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy, after an overnight strike hit an eight-storey building.
06:57 PM BST
Explosions reported over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem
Explosions have been reported over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem amid another round or Iranian missile strikes.
Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency services, is en route to the reported missile impact sites but no injuries have yet been confirmed, according to the Times of Israel.
Sirens sounded across much of Israel prior to the moment of impact, with residents in the centre of the country, including in Jerusalem, and in the north told to take cover in bomb shelters.
Missile launched by Iran is intercepted in the sky over Ashkelon, Israel – Amir Cohen/Reuters
Missiles seen over the sky in Tel Aviv, Israel – Ronen Zvulun/Reuters
06:45 PM BST
Pictured: Israel’s attack on Mashhad Airport
Israeli Air Force planes pictured after striking an Iranian refuelling aircraft at Mashhad Airport in eastern Iran – IDF / X
The IDF claimed its attack on the airport was the longest strike yet inside Iran, with the target 2,300 kilometres from Israel
Smoke billows over Mashhad International Airport in the wake of the Israeli air strike
06:36 PM BST
Netanyahu: ‘This could result in Iran regime change’
Benjamin Netanyahu has signalled that a regime change in Iran could be the result of Israel’s military attacks.
The Israeli prime minister did not state that the toppling of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s hardline government was Israel’s explicit goal but added in an interview with Fox News that it “could certainly be the result because the Iran regime is very weak”.
06:31 PM BST
Traffic jams in Tehran as residents try to flee
Huge traffic jams have gridlocked the streets of Tehran as residents attempt to flee the city amid ongoing Israeli missile strikes.
Photographs show long lines of cars heading away from the Iranian capital as the Israeli bombardment enters its third day.
The mass exodus comes as five car bombs detonated in Tehran earlier today, according to Iran’s semi-official state media, with sources online claiming they exploded near to government buildings.
It also reported that an Israeli strike had hit Tehran’s police headquarters and that a number of other targets had come under fire.
Long queues of traffic form as residents attempt to flee Tehran amid ongoing Israeli bombardments – ATTA KENARE/AFP
06:23 PM BST
Rocket launched from Gaza hits Israel
A rocket launched from southern Gaza has hit an area in south Israel.
The IDF said the air strike struck open land a short while ago and came from the southern Gaza Strip, but there have been no reported injuries.
Sirens sounded across Ein HaBesor, Magen and Nir Oz to warn citizens to take cover in bomb shelters as the rocket approached.
06:19 PM BST
Analysis: Concerns for US personnel in Iraq
Concerns are growing that US interests and personnel might be targeted in an attack in Iraq.
Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-aligned Iraqi militant group, issued a statement saying it would resume attacks on US troops in the Middle East if the US became directly involved in the Israel-Iran conflict.
“We are closely monitoring the movements of the American enemy’s military in the region,” the group’s leader, Abu Hussei al-Hamidawi, said in a statement. “If America intervenes in the war, we will act directly against its interests and bases spread across the region without hesitation.”
He also called on the Iraqi government to shut down the US embassy in Baghdad, saying the US presence was a threat to regional stability and security.
This comes as the US government issued a security alert for Americans in Iraq to avoid locations popular with foreigners and any large gatherings or crowds due to “the increased potential for foreign terrorist organisation-inspired violence or attacks against US business and locations.”
The warning was issued two days after the US ordered the departure of non-essential government personnel and family in Iraq, Bahrain and Kuwait given rising tensions.
Kataib Hezbollah is part of Iran’s ‘axis of resistance,’ a coalition of regional militant groups backed by Tehran that has claimed a number of attacks on US forces in Iraq and Syria since the war in Gaza began in October 2023. The group ceased such attacks in January 2024 to avoid “embarrassing” the Iraqi government further.
06:17 PM BST
Israeli Air Force begins fresh wave of attacks
The Israeli Air Force has launched a fresh wave of attacks on Iran.
It confirmed in a post on social media that it had fired at dozens of surface-to-surface missile targets in western Iran.
The report comes just hours after Iran launched its own missile attack against Israel, however it seems the barrage was successfully intercepted, with no casualties or damage reported.
06:14 PM BST
Israel claims to have killed IRGC intelligence chief
Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that Israel killed Brigadier General Mohammad Kazemi, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps intelligence chief, and General Hassan Mohaqiq, his deputy.
Speaking on Fox News, Mr Netanyahu said: “Moments ago, I can tell you we got their chief intelligence officer and his deputy in Tehran.”
06:08 PM BST
Analysis: Why Trump let Israel take the reins… up to a point
Israel has kept up its assault on Iran. Donald Trump has kept up calls for a deal to end the conflict.
The question beneath all of this is whether Mr Trump is working with Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, or whether he was blind-sided when Israel launched its attack on Thursday night.
The Trump cheerleaders will tell you it was all part of a master plan to keep Iran in the dark, convinced it was about to enter a sixth round of talks on Sunday and relaxed enough to allow senior military leadership to sleep in their own homes rather than safehouses.
To critics of Trump, it was all a sign that the US president had lost control of one of the most consequential parts of its foreign policy.
As ever the truth lies somewhere in the middle. And it was Mr Netanyahu himself, in an interview with Fox News Channel’s Bret Baier, who gave the clearest answer when he was asked about reports that Mr Trump had vetoed his plan to take out Iran’s supreme leader.
After demurring on the specifics, he added: “But I can tell you, I think that we do what we need to do, we’ll do what we need to do. And I think the United States knows what is good for the United States.”
Mr Trump, who has cut his National Security Council to a skeleton staff, lacks an overall strategy for Iran. He wanted talks to work but could see them extending into a forever future. Israel attacking Iran may not have been exactly what he wanted, but it will get the result he wants — a cowed and weakened Tehran — without risking American blood. And that is good enough for now.
05:29 PM BST
Israel’s air defences buckle under new Iranian barrage
Like a “bus full of explosives” ready to smash into an Israeli city.
That was how Benjamin Netanyahu described Iran’s ballistic missiles before they were launched at his country at the weekend.
Tehran has now fired more than 200 at Israel since Friday, according to Israeli military officials.
Many have penetrated Israel’s renowned air defences, forcing the military to warn its people that the defences were “not hermetic”.
Scenes of devastation on the streets of Tel Aviv have prompted alarm over what some believed to be the impenetrable layers of protection over Israel, including the Iron Dome.
But how did they get through?
05:10 PM BST
Early reports of possible ceasefire talks
Israel has reportedly used Western intermediaries to ask Iran about entering into ceasefire negotiations.
A senior Iranian source told NBC News in Tehran that Israel had signalled an interest in halting the missile strikes and restarting nuclear negotiations.
A representative for the Israeli prime minister reportedly did not respond to a request for comment on the reports of behind-the-scenes talks.
The report emerged as Donald Trump today called for Israel and Iran to make a deal before leaving for the G7 in Canada today.
The US president wrote on his Truth Social platform: “Iran and Israel should make a deal, and will make a deal, just like I got India and Pakistan to make, in that case by using TRADE with the United States to bring reason, cohesion, and sanity into the talks with two excellent leaders who were able to quickly make a decision and STOP!”
He added: Likewise, we will have PEACE, soon, between Israel and Iran! Many calls and meetings now taking place. I do a lot, and never get credit for anything, but that’s OK, the PEOPLE understand. MAKE THE MIDDLE EAST GREAT AGAIN!”
04:57 PM BST
US nationals in Iraq told to avoid large gatherings
The United States has advised any American nationals in Iraq to avoid large gatherings and areas frequented by foreign nationals amid an increased risk of violence.
The warning comes two days after the US called on its citizens to avoid travelling to Iraq “for any reason” as regional tensions continue to increase.
The US state department warned of the risk of missiles, drones and rockets flying over Iraqi airspace and said any American national seeking to depart the country should confirm their plans with their airlines.
04:44 PM BST
Sewage floods streets of Tehran
Sewage has flooded the streets of Tehran after Israeli missile strikes burst a pipe in the Iranian capital.
Footage shared on social media shows murky, brown water gushing past cars near the neighbourhood of Tajrish in eastern Tehran as the Israeli bombardment entered its third day.
The videos emerged as reports around the same time that multiple car bombs detonated in the Iranian capital.
Credit: X/@nexta_tv
04:32 PM BST
IDF ‘carries out longest strike yet on Iran’
The IDF has said it carried out its longest strike yet on Iran with an attack on a fuel plane around 2,300 kilometres from Israel.
A military spokesman published a photograph purporting to show the strike at Mashhad Airport in eastern Iran, close to the border with neighbouring Turkmenistan.
Avichay Adraee, the Israeli military spokesman for Arab media, said: “The Air Force is working to achieve air superiority throughout Iran.”
Credit: X/Social Media
04:17 PM BST
Israeli offensive ‘removing existential threat’
The IDF chief of staff has said the purpose of Israel’s offensive against Iran was “removing an existential threat and reinforcing our security”.
Eyal Zamir said during a briefing in the Israeli Air Force underground centre that Israel’s offensive operations in Iran were “reshaping the strategic reality of the State of Israel,” according to Israel National News.
“We are removing an existential threat and reinforcing our security. The IDF, through the Israeli Air Force, has paved the way to Tehran and is striking the regime’s infrastructure and nuclear program with precision and scale beyond what the enemy had anticipated,” he added.
04:05 PM BST
Aftermath of Israeli strikes on Tehran
Social media footage shows the aftermath of Israeli strikes on Tehran’s Tajrish Square.
Smoke billows from a building in the neighbourhood in the north of the capital after a third day of Israeli air strikes.
Credit: X/Social Media
04:01 PM BST
Car bombs rock Tehran
Multiple car bombs have detonated in Tehran after Israeli air strikes pounded the Iranian capital.
Five bombs exploded at various locations, Iran’s semi-official IRNA news agency said, with unconfirmed reports they detonated simultaneously near government buildings.
Footage circulating on social media shows thick black smoke rising from a flaming car and the windows blown out of surrounding buildings.
At least 14 Iranian nuclear scientists have been killed in Israeli air strikes since the conflict began on Friday, including in two car bombs, according to sources in the Gulf.
An Israeli official has denied the country is behind the detonation of the car bombs in Tehran amid accusations its undercover agents planted the devices.
The individual told the Kan public broadcaster Israel was not responsible for the attack, which is believed to have targeted vehicles parked near government buildings, after Iran’s semi-official IRNA news agency claimed it was.
Credit: Telegram/ensafnews | Youtube/@MeteoriteFARSi
03:56 PM BST
Iranians ‘cursing regime for unwanted war’
Coffee shops and small businesses remain closed in Tehran amid the ongoing Israeli missile strike, according to sources on the ground.
The residential areas around Tehran’s Mehrabad airport have also been evacuated, with most residents reportedly staying with relatives in safer areas.
Information is difficult to obtain for those within Iran, with the regime imposing a news blackout. Residents gather updates from foreign news agencies and Iranian satellite channels, one individual told The Telegraph.
They said: “Naturally everyone is shocked and stressed, but no-one seems to be able to publicly protest as each one of us is trying to survive the minute and see what happens next.
“But people are united in their cursing of the regime for this unwanted war and its victims and most blame Khamenei for his sheer madness that has brought so much misery to the people and the country,” they added.
03:21 PM BST
US involvement in conflict ‘possible’, says Trump
Donald Trump has said it is “possible” the US will become involved in the Iran-Israel conflict.
The Republican president told ABC News that talks about Iran’s nuclear programme were continuing and that Tehran would “like to make a deal”, perhaps now more quickly amid the Israeli missile bombardment.
“It’s possible we could get involved” Mr Trump said in an off-camera interview with ABC News.
The president made the comments while stressing that the US is “not at this moment involved” and adding that he was open to Vladimir Putin acting as a mediator in the conflict.
Mr Trump said of the Russian president’s potential involvement: “He is ready. He called me about it. We had a long talk about it.”
03:11 PM BST
Multiple car bombs detonate in Tehran
Multiple car bombs have reportedly detonated in Tehran, according to reports from Iran’s IRNA news agency.
Accounts circulating on social media claim five bombs detonated simultaneously near government buildings.
Unverified footage of the alleged incident shows thick, black smoke rising from a flaming car and the windows blown out of surrounding buildings.
03:06 PM BST
Situation in Tehran ‘dire and terrifying’
An eyewitness on the ground in Tehran has described the situation as “absolutely dire and terrifying”.
The individual, who works in a government office, told The Telegraph that certain areas of the city close to military garrisons resemble “ghost towns” amid Benjamin Netanyahu’s renewed offensive on the capital.
They said: “People are boarding up their windows and stocking food in preparation to stay indoors for many more days to come.
“Those Tehranis who could get enough petrol after waiting at gas stations for four hours have packed up and made it to the northern cities of the province of Mazandaran and its seaside towns.”
They said the main Chalus road connecting Tehran to the Caspian Sea coast was “bumper to bumper” as residents attempted to flee the capital and the escape the worst of the missile barrage.
02:57 PM BST
Watch: Tel Aviv skyline amid reports of incoming Iranian attack
02:37 PM BST
Iran launches fresh missile strike against Israel
Iran has launched a new missile strike against Israel, the IDF warned.
The Israeli army told citizens to take shelter inside bunkers after it detected an incoming attack.
The missile launch was confirmed by Iranian state TV. It is the first daylight rocket barrage fired since the start of the fighting on Friday.
A short while later, the IDF Home Front Command told civilians they no longer needed to remain inside bomb shelters.
At this time, it appears the incoming Iranian missile barrage has been successfully intercepted, with no casualties reported.
02:26 PM BST
Footage emerging of Israeli missile interceptions
Footage has begun to emerge online of the first Israeli interceptions of the latest Iranian missile strike.
Videos circulated on social media show clouds of white smoke in the sky over Israel amid reports around 50 missiles have been launched by Iran.
02:22 PM BST
Israeli air force ready to intercept incoming missile barrage
Sirens have been sounded across Israel amid an incoming Iranian missile strike.
The Israeli Air Force is reportedly operating to intercept the latest barrage and has instructed civilians to take shelter immediately.
01:57 PM BST
Iran warns Israel of more ‘severe’ retaliation
Iran’s response to Israeli strikes will be “more decisive and severe” if hostilities continue, Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran’s president, has warned.
Citing state media, Reuters reports that the president said that Iran’s military has so far responded “strongly and appropriately” to events.
The statement comes as Tehran residents report huge ongoing strikes on the capital by Israel.
01:38 PM BST
Netanyahu says Iran will pay a ‘very heavy price’ in visit to Bat Yam
Benjamin Netanyahu said that Iran “will pay a very heavy price for premeditated murder of civilians, women and children” as he visited the site of a missile strike on a residential building in Bat Yam.
“We will achieve our objectives, and we will strike them with overwhelming force,” Israel’s prime minister added.
Six people were killed in Bat Yam after an overnight strike hit an eight-storey building, including an eight-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy.
Benjamin Netanyahu visits the site of an Iranian missile strike in Bat Yam – Benjamin Netanyahu on X
Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the site of an Iranian missile strike in Bat Yam – Benjamin Netanyahu on X
12:58 PM BST
Iran says most casualties are civilians
Most of the people killed or injured in Israeli strikes on Iran were civilians, according to Mohammad-Reza Zafarghandi, Iran’s health minister.
Speaking on state media, Mr Zafarghandi also claimed that the majority of the civilians killed were women and children.
Iranian authorities have not provided an updated death toll as of today, but said that 78 people had been killed and 320 wounded after the first wave of Israeli strikes on Friday
Israel has claimed that more than 170 targets have been attacked in Iran and issued evacuation orders for residents near Iranian military facilities.
12:35 PM BST
Pictured: Oil refinery attack aftermath in Tehran
Commuters witnessed a plume of smoke rising from an oil refinery in southern Tehran that was hit by an overnight Israeli strike.
Commuters drive along a road as a plume of smoke rises from a bombed nearby oil refinery in southern Tehran
12:29 PM BST
Israeli airline cancels flights
Israel’s El Al Airlines has cancelled flights to and from a number of European cities, as well as Tokyo and Moscow, reports Reuters.
The airline said on Sunday that all flights have been cancelled up to and including June 17, as Israel’s airspace remains closed for a third consecutive day.
“Once approvals are received from the relevant security and aviation authorities, we will do everything possible to allow as many Israelis as possible to return home, gradually resume our regular flight schedule and operate rescue flights from destinations near Israel,” El Al said.
Israeli media reports that tens of thousands of Israelis may be stranded abroad.
The Israel Airport Authority has warned passengers that they can expect to wait for “days” until a return flight will be possible
The authority added that “even when the security establishment allows the resumption of flights, the rate of flights will be limited to minimise risks and maintain the safety of passengers and aircrafts.”
12:15 PM BST
Fresh blasts heard in Tehran
Fresh blasts have been heard in the Iranian capital as Israeli attacks continue for a third day, according to the AFP news agency.
An Iranian government spokesperson told state TV that Iranians can seek shelter in metro stations, schools and mosques as of today, as the country hunkers down for more strikes.
On Sunday, Iranian media said that attacks from Israel had targeted Tehran’s defence ministry headquarters and a facility affiliated with the ministry in Isfahan, central Iran.
Israel has claimed that it hit over 80 targets in Tehran overnight.
12:00 PM BST
Death toll still unclear in Bat Yam ruins
The total death toll is still unclear after the latest Iranian strike hit an apartment block in the coastal town of Bat Yam, a suburb of Tel Aviv.
The missile weighing hundreds of kilos hit directly into the residential building which collapsed internally, taking many of the residents with it.
The Telegraph spoke to one man waiting for his brother inside the building as search teams battle through the wreck.
He could barely speak and did not want to be interviewed but his friend, who asked not to be named to respect the family, said the man in his 40s, a father of two, fell from the 2nd floor apartment.
The Israeli military says three are under the rubble and four more are missing, with search and rescue teams working to find the missing before the rest of the building collapses.
Ilana Shaked, a local resident, told The Telegraph: “This is unreal to see, not just painful but hard to comprehend.”
Displaced residents were brought to a local school in Bat Yam and given food and drink while they waited for news of their temporary accommodation.
11:54 AM BST
Iran says seven more senior air force commanders killed by Israel
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has released a list of seven more top aerospace commanders it says were killed by Israeli strikes early on Friday.
“We mourn the deaths of seven of our commanders,” the force said in a statement.
On Saturday, the IDF said that its strikes had killed more than 20 Iranian commanders.
11:44 AM BST
Devastation in Bat Yam after Iranian strike
The streets of Bat Yam in central Israel were strewn with dust and glass after the worst night of Iranian bombing since Friday.
Aynom Kehasi, 39, was in his home between blasts when he was injured by shattering glass.
Aynom Kehasi, 39, in Bat Yam – Melanie Swan
His home is just 300m from the building worst hit in the strike, which has damaged 61 buildings within eight to nine streets, according to rescue teams.
“All the windows broke in our apartment,” he told the Telegraph on Sunday morning at the site where crowds anxiously waited for news of the seven or eight more people missing inside the wrecked building.
“The glass flew in my eyes, my skin, I had to go to hospital to have shards removed from my eye,” he said, with stitches in his shoulder and hand.
The father of two who works as a decorator said: “It was extremely scary but we know there is still more to come. It’s not over yet. But I was very lucky.”
11:19 AM BST
Mapped: Foreign Office travel ban
The UK has warned against all travel to Israel amid the escalating conflict with Iran.
The Foreign Office has placed Israel on “red” alert – the same level as Iran – as airspace over both countries remains closed.
On Friday, the Foreign Office updated advice to warn against “all but essential travel” to much of Israel.
Areas around Gaza, the West Bank and the Golan Heights were already red zones – as shown in the map below.
A map, released by the Home Office, advising on travel to Israel during the conflict with Iran
11:14 AM BST
Tehran oil depot still in operation after fire
Iran’s Shahran oil depot in Tehran is still in operation after it was targeted by Israel in an overnight attack, said Iran’s oil ministry.
The oil depot was seen being engulfed by flames after the strike.
The ministry said that fuel production and distribution continued after the strike caused a huge fire to break out.
Per Reuters, Iran’s oil ministry said that “the fuel volume in the targeted tank was not high, and the situation is fully under control”.
Credit: Reuters
10:34 AM BST
Pictured: Israeli strike on oil storage facility in Tehran
Early on Sunday morning, flames were pictured rising from an oil storage facility struck by an Israeli missile in Iran’s capital, Tehran.
Flames rise from an oil storage facility in Tehran struck by an Israeli missile on June 15
10:28 AM BST
Iran arrests two on suspicion of spying for Israel
Iran says it has arrested two individuals accused of being members of Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad, according to Reuters, which cites the semi-official Iranian Tasnim news agency.
Iran claims that the two suspects were detained in Alborz province while they were preparing explosives and electronic devices.
Iranian authorities were also reported to have arrested five individuals in the central city of Yazd on Saturday on suspicion of spying for Israel and collaborating with its intelligence services.
10:18 AM BST
Israel inflicted ‘effective’ but not ‘fatal’ damage on Iranian nuclear facility
Strikes on one of Iran’s key nuclear facilities on June 12 and June 13 are said to have inflicted “extremely effective” but not yet “fatal” damage, according to new analysis from the Institute for the Study of War.
The report from Saturday night cites US and senior Israeli officials and refers to the Natanz Nuclear Facility, Iran’s primary enrichment facility.
Natanz is where Iran has produced a vast majority of its nuclear fuel. Much of it is underground and as such not vulnerable to attacks.
Satellite images analysed by the Institute show damage to buildings in the north-west and north-east corners of the facility.
Two US officials told CNN on Saturday that electrical infrastructure was destroyed by strikes at Natanz, and that electricity was knocked out on the lower levels where the centrifuges used to enrich uranium are stored.
A senior Israeli official has claimed that the strikes inflicted significant damage to the air defence systems at Natanz as well as the site itself.
09:45 AM BST
Oil refinery in Israel sustained damage from attacks
Pipelines and transmission lines between facilities in the Bazan oil refinery complex in the northern Israeli city of Haifa were damaged during last night’s missile attack from Iran.
Refining activities continue, but some downstream operations have been shut down, the company reported to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.
Haifa was the target of a barrage of Iranian missiles on Saturday evening.
The northern coastal city is home to a major naval base, oil refineries and numerous chemical plants, and has as such been treated as a strategic target by Iran.
There were no injuries or casualties as a result of the attack on the Bazan oil refinery.
Credit: X/@Charles_Lister
09:35 AM BST
UK could ‘potentially’ support Israel in conflict, says Rachel Reeves
Rachel Reeves has said that the UK could “potentially” support Israel in its conflict with Iran.
Talking to Sky News, the Chancellor said: “I’m not going to rule anything out at this stage… it’s a fast moving situation, a very volatile situation.”
She emphasised that the UK has so far not been involved, but said: “We’re sending in assets to both protect ourselves and also potentially to support our allies.”
09:28 AM BST
Netanyahu not looking for ‘regime change’, says Israel ambassador
Tzipi Hotovely, Israel’s ambassador to the UK, said that Benjamin Netanyahu is not looking for “regime change” in Iran and insisted that Israeli attacks on Iran would bring about peace in Gaza.
Speaking to the BBC, Ms Hotovely said the purpose of Israeli attacks on Tehran was to “destroy the ballistic missiles programme” and prevent Iranian support for Islamist groups in Gaza, Yemen and Lebanon.
“Our Prime Minister was very clear: we were not aiming for regime change,” she said.
“This is not the aim of this military operation. We are clear about harming and damaging in a way that will create a total rollback to Iran’s nuclear program. This is our aim, and we are also aiming to destroy the ballistic missiles programme.”
She added: “I believe that it gives better opportunity to get a ceasefire in Gaza, because once the patron of Hamas…this vicious plan to invade Israel and to barbarically kill our people, through Hezbollah, through the Houthis and through Hamas…this will stop once Iran won’t have the capabilities and ability to sponsor terrorism all around the world and around Israel.”
Israeli ambassador to the UK Tzipi Hotovely arrives at BBC Broadcasting House in London on June 15 – James Manning/PA
09:18 AM BST
Attacks on Israel will end when its aggression ends, says Iran
Iran’s attacks on Israel will end when it ends its military “aggression”, said Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, in a broadcast on state TV.
“We are defending ourselves; our defence is entirely legitimate,” Mr Araghchi claimed. “If the aggression stops, naturally our responses will stop.”
The foreign minister also said on Sunday that Israel has “crossed a new red line” by targeting Iran’s nuclear sites and called strikes on the offshore South Pars gas field Iran shares with Qatar “a blatant aggression and a very dangerous act”.
“Dragging the conflict to the Persian Gulf is a strategic mistake, and its aim is to drag the war beyond Iranian territory,” he added.
08:36 AM BST
Trump: US had nothing to do with attack
Donald Trump said the US had “nothing to do” with the attack on Iran overnight.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, the US president wrote: “If we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the U.S. Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before.”
Mr Trump reiterated his desire to strike a deal, writing “we can easily get a deal done between Iran and Israel, and end this bloody conflict!!!”
08:34 AM BST
Pictured: Search and rescue operations in Israel
Israeli first responders conducted search and rescue missions overnight at the sites of missile strikes in central Israel.
Israeli emergency responders conduct nighttime search and rescue operations among heavily damaged buildings
Rescue personnel help an injured woman at an impact site following missile attack from Iran on Israel
08:30 AM BST
Iran has ‘solid proof’ that US forces supported attacks
In a broadcast on state TV, Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, said that Iran has “solid proof” that US forces supported Israel in its attacks, according to AFP.
The foreign minister added that Iran does not want the conflict with Israel to expand, but that Tehran will defend itself if forced to.
Mr Araghchi said that the US needs to condemn Israel’s strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, claiming that Israel is trying to sabotage talks between Iran and the US, which he says could have led to an agreement.
08:30 AM BST
Israel warns Iranians near military facilities to evacuate
The Israeli military has issued an evacuation warning to Iranian civilians residing near military facilities after a wave of Israeli strikes on military targets.
“For your safety, we ask that you evacuate immediately and refrain from returning until further notice. Proximity to these facilities puts your life at risk,” Avichay Adraee, a spokesperson for the IDF, wrote on X.
The warning includes all military weapons production factories and their support institutions.
Mr Adraee has in the past signaled other strikes in Gaza, Lebanon and Yemen.
On Saturday, Benjamin Netanyahu warned Iranians in a video address that Israel will “strike every site and every target of the Ayatollah’s regime”.
