Israel-Iran News LIVE: Iran, Israel trade strikes for 6th day as world awaits outcome of Trump's NSC meet

Air raid sirens in northern Israel due to Iranian missiles: military

• French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday warned any attempt to change the regime in Iran would result in "chaos" as US ally Israel traded fire with its arch foe.
• Macron was speaking at a G7 summit in Canada shortly after President Donald Trump said the United States would not kill Iran's supreme leader "for now." - AFP

• US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce is currently addressing the media.
• Key points from her statement:
• President Trump remains firm that Iran must not be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon.
• The State Department has set up a Middle East task force to:
• Coordinate support for US citizens.
• Assist diplomatic missions in the region.
• US citizens are advised not to travel to Israel, Iraq, or Iran.
• The task force is actively:
• Answering calls from Americans worldwide.
• Ensuring citizens receive the help they need.
• Bruce noted that today's briefing will be limited, citing the sensitive and evolving global situation.

We have established Middle East Task Force, says US State Department

• Israeli Defence Force (IDF) spokesperson Effie Defrin held a media briefing a short while back.
• Key highlights from the briefing:
• Israel has struck deep into Iran, targeting nuclear, ballistic, and command infrastructure.
• The IDF eliminated Ali Shadmani, a senior Iranian military figure.
• Shadmani was Iran’s wartime chief of general staff.
• He had assumed the role just four days ago, following the death of his predecessor.
• Defrin confirmed Shadmani's death had already been announced earlier by the Israeli military.

• Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of being "the biggest threat" to the Middle East region, in a phone call with Qatar's emir on Tuesday, his office said.
• Erdogan said that he "will continue his efforts to end the spiral of violence, and that Netanyahu has shown once again that he is the biggest threat to the security of the region," according to the presidency. - AFP

• Iran’s government has urged citizens to avoid using apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and other location-enabled services, warning they could be used by Israel to track and target individuals, according to a report by state-run news outlet IRIB.
• The warning comes in the wake of several recent targeted assassinations allegedly carried out by Israel, including attacks on Iranian scientists.
• “Security reports indicate that the Israeli regime is using mobile phone tracking to identify and eliminate targets within Iran,” IRIB reported, citing intelligence assessments. It added that the use of such apps is considered “dangerous under the current circumstances.”

President Trump is "seriously considering" a military strike on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, with the heavily fortified Fordow enrichment facility reportedly being a primary target, Axios report says. The Fordow plant, buried deep within a mountain, is believed to be resistant to conventional airstrikes. Intelligence assessments suggest that the only viable way to disable it would be through the use of a GBU-57 bunker buster bomb, deployable exclusively by the U.S. Air Force's B-2 Spirit stealth bombers. (Read More)

Trump convenes National Security Council on Iran Tuesday: White House

• Israel's airlines said on Tuesday that they had received government permission to start flights to bring back people who had been stranded abroad during the conflict with Iran.
• Israel's airspace has been closed since Israel and Iran began trading attacks on Friday, stranding tens of thousands whose flights to Tel Aviv were cancelled.
• El Al Airlines, Israel's flag carrier, said it expects to operate flights on Wednesday from Larnaca, Athens, Rome, Milan and Paris to bring anyone who had a cancelled El Al ticket to Israel.
• There would still be no passenger flights leaving Israel, it added. El Al has cancelled all scheduled flights through June 23. - Reuters

"We know exactly where the so-called “Supreme Leader” is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there - We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now. But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" - Donald Trump on Truth Social

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed that the United States now has “complete and total control of the skies over Iran.” He contrasted Iran’s “good sky trackers and other defensive equipment” with what he called superior “American made, conceived, and manufactured ‘stuff.’” (Read More)

The Iran-Israel conflict has shuttered airspace across the Middle East as the two bitter enemies launch attacks and reprisals at one another. The worsening security situation has seen foreigners scramble to evacuate. But, with so much travel disruption in the region, it’s a tough task. (Read More)

President Donald Trump may choose to take “further action” to halt Iran’s nuclear program, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said on Tuesday, addressing growing speculation about possible American involvement in the escalating conflict. “The president has shown remarkable restraint by keeping our military focused on protecting our troops and citizens,” Vance said in a post on X. “He may decide that additional steps are necessary to stop Iranian enrichment.”

• British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Tuesday that President Donald Trump had given no sign at a G7 summit that the United States would get involved in the Israel-Iran conflict.
• "There is nothing the president said that suggests he's about to get involved in this conflict. On the contrary, the G7 statement was about de-escalation," Starmer said after Trump left the group's Canada summit early to rush back to Washington.

• When his phone started pinging persistently at 4 a.m. on Friday, the chief rabbi of Cyprus learnt that war had broken out between Israel and Iran. By the time he got to his synagogue three hours later, the street outside was full of Israelis with suitcases.
• Some had been on flights home that were diverted to Cyprus when Israeli airspace was abruptly closed. Others had been on holiday on the Mediterranean island and had been due to fly home that day, but were now stuck without accommodation.
• "You feel their pain. They are walking, crying. They have urgent family needs, medical needs," the chief rabbi, Arie Zeev Raskin, told Reuters at his office in Larnaca.
• Among them were people fearful of not making it home on time for their own weddings, he said.
• Raskin has been trying to help the travellers, coordinating the search for hotel rooms and offers of hospitality from local Jewish and Cypriot families.
• Some people have slept in the synagogue. - AFP

Saddam Hussein, the brutal Sunni dictator of Shia-dominated Iraq, has suddenly become a talking point in the current tensions between Iran and Israel. As the crisis worsens, a top Israeli minister on Tuesday warned of a Saddam-like fate for Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This came a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly told an American news broadcaster that ‘removing’ Khamenei would not lead to an escalation. Rather, Netanyahu said that this will lead to a permanent solution. These stark warnings for Iranian leadership show that Tel Aviv is in no mood to de-escalate. (Read More)

• An AFP journalist heard a series of loud explosions in north Tehran on Tuesday, as Israel kept up its strikes on Iran's military and nuclear facilities for a fifth day.
• It was not immediately clear whether the blasts were the result of incoming Israeli strikes or Iranian air defence fire. - AFP

• Organisers of a march to the Egyptian border with Gaza said on Tuesday that three participants were abducted by plainclothes officers in Cairo amid a wave of arbitrary detentions, deportations and abuse by security forces.
• Egypt's interior and foreign ministries did not immediately respond to the allegations. Reuters could not independently verify the reported detentions or conditions.
• The Global March to Gaza, launched this month, brought over 4,000 activists from more than 80 countries to Egypt in an attempt to peacefully approach the Rafah border crossing and draw attention to Gaza's deepening humanitarian crisis. - Reuters

• sraeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar stated that regime change in Iran is not the intended goal of Israel’s military campaign, though he acknowledged it could be a possible consequence.
• Speaking from Rishon Lezion — a city recently struck by Iranian missile attacks — Sa’ar outlined Israel’s primary objectives in its ongoing operations. Addressing the media, he emphasized that the top priority is to “inflict serious damage on Iran’s nuclear program,” adding that the mission is not yet complete.
• “We still have targets,” Sa’ar noted, claiming that Israeli fighter jets now maintain aerial superiority over Iranian airspace.
• He listed two additional objectives: significantly weakening Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities and delivering a major blow to what he described as “the Iranian regime’s plan to eliminate the state of Israel.”

The International Atomic Energy Agency said on Tuesday that it now believes Israeli airstrikes on Iran’s Natanz enrichment site had “direct impacts” on the facility’s underground centrifuge halls.

Leaders of the Group of Seven countries meeting in Canada signed a joint statement calling for de-escalation of fighting between Israel and Iran while reaffirming that Iran cannot be allowed to have a nuclear bomb.

Israel stunned and hobbled Iran last week when it pulled off an intelligence and military operation years in the making that struck high-level targets with precision. Guided by spies and artificial intelligence, the Israeli military unleashed a nighttime fusillade of warplanes and armed drones smuggled into Iran to quickly incapacitate many of its air defenses and missile systems. With greater freedom to fly over Iran, Israel bombarded key nuclear sites and killed top generals and scientists. By the time Iran mustered a response hours later, its ability to retaliate — already weakened by past Israeli strikes — was greatly diminished. (Read More)

On Sunday night, Israel activated its newly developed aerial defense system for the first time– dubbed “Barak Magen” meaning “lightning shield”, announcing it had shot down several Iranian drones. Eight Iranian drones were intercepted by the Israeli Navy using the "Barak Magen" along with its long-range air defense (LRAD) interceptor, which were launched from an Israeli navy Sa’ar 6 missile ship, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). (Read More)

• The non-profit group Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRANA) has been monitoring casualties since the onset of the bombardment.
• According to HRANA, a total of 452 people have been killed and 646 injured so far.
• The breakdown includes 224 civilian deaths and 188 civilians wounded. Additionally, 109 military personnel have been killed and 123 injured.
• HRANA also reports that 119 individuals who have died and 335 who were injured have yet to be identified.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a stark warning to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday, suggesting he could meet the same end as former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein if Iran continues its attacks. Speaking at a high-level military meeting in Tel Aviv, Katz said, “I warn the Iranian dictator against continuing to commit war crimes and launching missiles at Israeli citizens.” The remark comes amid escalating tensions and direct strikes between the two regional adversaries.

• Shares of crude oil sensitive sectors -- oil marketing companies, aviation, paints and adhesives -- ended lower on Tuesday following a spike in Brent crude oil prices amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran.
• The stock of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd dropped 1.12 per cent, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd declined 0.91 per cent, and Indian Oil Corporation dipped 0.21 per cent on the BSE.
• Shares of InterGlobe Aviation decreased 1.37 per cent and SpiceJet slipped 0.68 per cent. - PTI

• The Kremlin said on Tuesday that U.S. President Donald Trump was right to assert that it had been a big mistake to expel Russia from the Group of Eight in 2014, but that the G7 was no longer significant for Russia and looked "rather useless" now.
• Trump said at a Group of Seven summit in Canada on Monday that the G8 had been wrong to kick out Russia in 2014 after it annexed Crimea from Ukraine.
• "This was a big mistake," Trump said, adding he believed Russia would not have invaded Ukraine in 2022 had President Vladimir Putin not been ejected from the leaders' club. He said Putin "basically doesn't even speak to the people that threw him out, and I agree with him".
• Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: "We agree with President Trump: it was a big mistake then to exclude Russia from the G8 format." - Reuters

• US President Donald Trump insisted that Tehran was “very close” to building a nuclear weapon despite congressional testimony from his top intelligence adviser earlier this year.
• Back in March, National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard told lawmakers that spy agencies have assessed that “Iran is not building a nuclear weapon” and the country's supreme leader “has not authorised the nuclear weapons program that he suspended in 2003”.
• Trump dismissed that when speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One during an overnight flight back to Washington after leaving the G7 summit early. - AP

• The Kremlin said on Tuesday that it saw that Israel did not want mediation efforts over its conflict with Iran, now in its fifth day amid what Moscow said was "galloping escalation".
• Israel launched its air war with a surprise attack last week that has killed nearly the entire top echelon of Iran's military commanders and its leading nuclear scientists. Iran has responded with a barrage of strikes on Israeli cities.
• In a call with reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called on both sides to exercise "maximum restraint". - Reuters

• Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari, speaking at a press conference in Doha, condemned Israel’s strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, describing it as “an uncalculated move with potentially grave consequences.”
• He emphasised that Qatar “strongly condemns” the attack and reaffirmed the country's commitment to pursuing de-escalation. “We will continue our efforts to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Iran,” al-Ansari said.

More than 600 foreign nationals from 17 different countries have fled Iran for neighbouring Azerbaijan amid the ongoing Israeli strikes, according to an anonymous government official cited by AFP. The evacuees crossed into Azerbaijan through the Astara border checkpoint along the Caspian Sea coast. From there, they were transported to Baku airport, where they boarded international flights to return to their home countries, the official added.

• U.S. President Donald Trump said he wanted a "real end" to the nuclear problem with Iran, with Iran "giving up entirely" on nuclear weapons, in comments he made to reporters on Air Force One on his way back from the Group of Seven summit in Canada.
• "Giving up entirely," Trump told reporters early on Tuesday. "Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, it's very simple." - Reuters

• A cyberattack on Tuesday crippled Sepah Bank, one of Iran's main state-owned banks, a news agency reported, amid an escalating air war between the Islamic republic and its arch-enemy Israel.
• "A cyberattack targeted the infrastructure of Sepah Bank, causing disruptions to the institution's online services," said the Fars news agency, adding the issue was expected to be resolved within the next few hours. - AFP

Iran has launched a ballistic missile strike targeting the Israeli Mossad intelligence building located in Gililot, Tel Aviv. According to reports, the Mossad headquarters was struck by at least one Iranian missile, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing hostilities between the two nations.

While focus is on Iran, the wave of killings in Gaza is not stopping anytime soon. Now, Associated Press reports that around 51 Palestinians were killed in Gaza. Most of these people were waiting for the trucks full of aid, the local health officials told AP.

Flights carrying evacuees from Israel have arrived in Slovakia and the Czech Republic amid the war between Iran and Israel, authorities said on Tuesday, making these countries among the first to get their citizens out of the Middle East.

Slovak authorities said that the first evacuation flight with 73 people, including 25 Slovak tourists and five family members of Slovak diplomats working in Tel Aviv, had arrived in the capital Bratislava late on Monday.

Strategic targets in Israel have reportedly been destroyed by Iran using drones. "Various types of destructive drones, equipped with precise destruction and targeting capabilities, destroyed strategic positions of the Zionist regime in Tel Aviv and Haifa," General Kioumars Heidari, commander of the army's ground forces, was quoted as saying by state television.

China on Tuesday accused President Donald Trump of "pouring oil" on the mounting conflict between Iran and Israel, after the US leader warned Tehran residents to "immediately evacuate", according to AFP.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun was quoted as saying: "Fanning the flames, pouring oil, making threats and mounting pressure will not help to promote the de-escalation of the situation, but will only intensify and widen the conflict."

Amid the escalating confrontation between Iran and Israel, one of the most pressing concerns for the global community is the possibility of Tehran shutting down the Strait of Hormuz – the world’s most strategically viral oil transit chokepoint. While Tehran has frequently threatened to block the waterway in response to military pressure or sanctions, the prospect becomes far more plausible if the conflict with Israel explodes into a full-scale war. Read more

Israel Iran War News: Israeli Air Force intercepted about 30 drones launched by Iran

Amid the ongoing war with Tehran, the Israeli Defence Force, IDF, claimed that it has killed a top Iranian commander.

According to reports, IDF said on Tuesday (June 17) that the head of IRGC’s Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters, Ali Shadmani, has been assassinated in an attack on Tehran. Read more

As tensions continue to simmer in West Asia, India has ramped up evacuation efforts by relocating 110 students from Tehran.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Tuesday that Indian nationals are being moved out of high-risk zones as a safety measure amid the escalating Iran-Israel conflict.

The Indian Embassy in Tehran arranged the evacuation of students from the capital, while advising other citizens with access to transportation to leave independently. Read more

Israel Iran War News Live: Israel eliminates Iran’s wartime Chief of Staff Ali Shadmani

Ali Shadmani, Iran’s senior-most military official and Khamenei’s closest military advisor, was killed in an IAF strike in central Tehran.

The Group of Seven nations expressed support for Israel in a statement issued late on Monday and labeled its rival Iran as a source of instability in the Middle East, with the G7 leaders urging broader de-escalation of hostilities in the region.

The air war between Iran and Israel - which began on Friday when Israel attacked Iran with air strikes - has raised alarms in a region that had already been on edge since the start of Israel's military assault on Gaza in October 2023. Read more

Medics are responding to reports of ballistic missile impacts in central Israel, reports The Times of Israel.

IDF detected a barrage of ballistic missiles launched from Iran at Israel. Civilians are instructed to stay near bomb shelters until further notice.

G7 leaders, ahead of the summit in Canada, have issued a joint statement on Israel-Iran conflict, calling that Iran is a principal source of terror in the region and that it can never have a nuclear weapon.

"Iran is the principal source of regional instability and terror. We have been consistently clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. We urge that the resolution of the Iranian crisis leads to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza. We will remain vigilant to the implications for international energy markets and stand ready to coordinate, including with like-minded partners, to safeguard market stability," the statement read. Read more

A siren is sounding in the Golan Heights community of Ramat Magshimim warning of a suspected drone infiltration, reports the Times of Israel. Residents are advised to seek shelter.

Israel Iran War News: US Embassy in Israel to remain closed

The US Embassy in Jerusalem said it will remain closed today, and has asked its employees and their families to continue to take shelter in place in and near their residences until further notice. The mission said its branch in Tel Aviv will also remain closed.

South Korea has asked its citizens to leave Iran as soon as possible. The advisory follows an announcement on Monday saying the South Korean embassy in Iran had suspended consular services.

Israel Iran News Live: Indian Embassy in Iran requests Indian citizens to move out of Tehran

Israel Iran War News Live: MEA establish 24x7 control room amid escalating tensions

Iran has reportedly been indicating to cease hostilities amid the escalating conflict with Israel and resume talks over its nuclear programs, The Wall Street Journal reported citing Middle Eastern and European officials.

According to reports, Tehran has been sending messages to Israel and the United States through Arab intermediaries. Read more

“We affirm that Israel has a right to defend itself. We have been consistently clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon,' G7 leaders said in the joint statement.

“We urge that the resolution of the Iranian crisis leads to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza,” the statement adds.

G7 leaders issued a joint statement calling for “de-escalation” on Iran, while highlighting that Israel has the right to defend itself.

The White House is reportedly is in discussions with Iran on the possibility of a meeting between US envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi this week, according to the Axios news outlet.

Axios, citing four sources, said the objective of the meeting would be “to discuss a diplomatic initiative involving a nuclear deal and an end to the war between Israel and Iran”.

Air raid sirens are sounding in Haifa and the surrounding areas in the north, including Caesarea, amid a missile attack from Iran, says the IDF.

The IDF says its air defenses are working to intercept the missiles, and calls on citizens to enter shelters and stay there until further notice.

U.S. President Donald Trump cut short his visit to the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, leaving late Monday evening amid escalating tensions in the Middle East following Israel’s recent airstrikes on Iran.

His sudden departure has raised concerns over mounting global instability, particularly as world leaders had convened in Canada to address a series of pressing international crises. Read more

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday urged citizens in Tehran to evacuate , citing what he said was the country's rejection of a deal to curb nuclear weapons development.

Trump was due to leave the Group of Seven summit in Canada later on Monday, a day early, due to the Middle East situation, the White House said. Fox News reported he would convene his National Security Council.

Oil prices climbed over 2% on Tuesday as Iran-Israel tension intensified and U.S. President Donald Trump urged "everyone" to evacuate Tehran, increasing the prospect of deepening unrest in the region and disruption to oil supply.

The Brent crude futures contract was up $1.17, or 1.6%, at $74.4 a barrel as at 0005 GMT and U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was up $1.34, or 1.87%, at $73.11 - both having risen more than 2% earlier in the trading session.

Both contracts settled more than 1% lower on Monday on hope of easing geopolitical tension after media reports of Iran seeking an end to hostilities.

The Chinese embassy in Israel has urged Chinese citizens to return home or leave the country via land border crossings as soon as possible, on grounds that the security situation has deteriorated and Israeli airspace remained closed.

"At present, the Israeli-Iranian conflict continues to escalate, with civilian facilities damaged and civilian casualties increasing, making the security situation even more severe," the embassy warned in a Tuesday notice on WeChat.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that U.S. President Donald Trump had made an offer for a ceasefire between Israel and Iran.

"There is indeed an offer to meet and exchange. An offer was made especially to get a ceasefire and to then kick-start broader discussions," Macron told reporters at the G7.

US President Donald Trump is departing the Group of Seven summit in Canada on Monday night, leaving a day early due to the intensifying conflict between Israel and Iran.

“President Trump had a great day at the G7, even signing a major trade deal with the United Kingdom and Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Much was accomplished, but because of what's going on in the Middle East, President Trump will be leaving tonight after dinner with Heads of State," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on social media.

Israel's Haifa-based Bazan Group said all refinery facilities have been shut down after a power station used to produce steam and electricity were significantly damaged in an attack by Iran, according to a regulatory filing on Monday.

The group said the Iranian attack resulted in the death of three company employees.

Three Iranian Red Crescent workers were killed in an Israeli strike during rescue operations in Tehran, reports Reuters citing Iran's Mehr news agency.

The US Department of State on Monday updated its travel advisory for Israel, West Bank, and Gaza to Level 4, warning Americans not to travel to the region due to heightened security risks amid Israel-Iran war.

The update reflected the authorized departure of family members and certain non-emergency US government personnel.

The advisory cautioned US citizens not to travel to the country due to "armed conflict, terrorism and civil unrest."

The escalated warning from the State Department comes on the fourth day of attacks exchanged between Israel and Iran, which has launched retaliatory strikes against Israel after its sweeping attacks targeting military and nuclear infrastructure late last week.