Israel and Iran continue to bombard each other with missile attacks. Iranian airstrikes hit a hospital in southern Israel, and Tel Aviv is also badly damaged. Israel carries out an attack near a nuclear power plant in Arak, in central Iran. Follow all the updates in this live blog.
White House: 'Trump will make decision on attack on Iran within 2 weeks'
According to the White House, President Donald Trump will make a decision within 2 weeks on whether the US will intervene in the conflict between Israel and Iran.
“Based on the fact that there is a significant likelihood of negotiations potentially occurring with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision within the next 2 weeks as to whether or not to go,” Donald Trump's message reads.
Netanyahu says fall or change of Iranian regime not a goal,"but could be a result"
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that the change or fall of the Iranian regime is not a goal in itself, but could be a result of the new military actions.
"The issue of changing or toppling the regime is primarily a matter for the Iranian people. There is no alternative to it. That is why I did not present it as a goal. It could be an outcome," Netanyahu told Israeli public broadcaster Kan.
Netanyahu also confirmed that Israel has already destroyed most of Iran's missile launchers, a claim previously made by an anonymous Israeli official to the British news agency Reuters.
Iran denies directly hitting Israeli hospital, says all strikes are 'precision attacks'
Iran denies that one of its missiles hit the Israeli hospital in Beersheba. It says the attack hit a nearby military target and that the damage to the hospital was caused by the shock wave from the impact.
However, fact-checkers from the British public broadcaster BBC have already investigated whether that theory is correct. Experts point to the extensive damage to the roof and limited damage to the side of the hospital. That suggests that the rocket landed directly on the hospital.
Palestinian Civil Protection Reports 72 Dead in Israeli Violence in Gaza Strip
At least 72 people have been killed by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip today, the civil protection in the Palestinian territory announced. The victims include 21 people who were waiting for humanitarian aid.
15 people were killed along the Netzarim corridor - in the center of the area - where thousands of people flock daily to receive food aid. Another 60 people were also wounded, the civil defense added. The Israeli army said it was"investigating" the allegation.
6 people were killed as they waited for aid in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip.
A total of 51 people were also killed in nine separate Israeli army attacks in Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip, the civil defense added.
A large plume of smoke rises after the Israeli airstrike on Jabalia.
Many children have also died in the attacks.
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71 injured after attack on Israeli hospital
At least 71 people were injured in the attack on the Israeli hospital in Beersheba, the Israeli Ministry of Health reports. A total of 271 people are said to have been injured in the Iranian airstrikes that took place today.
Since the start of the conflict, at least 24 people have been killed in Israel. In Iran, that number is much higher: on Tuesday, the Iranian regime was still talking about 224 fatalities, but the human rights group Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) estimates that number to be 639 people.
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Trump says Wall Street Journal has 'no idea' what his plans are
"The Wall Street Journal has no idea what I'm thinking about Iran!" That's the latest message from US President Donald Trump on Truth Social. Earlier today, WSJ and CBS News reported that Trump had approved war plans for military action against Iran, but that a final 'go' from the president had not yet been given.
British PM asks Trump to step back in conflict with Iran
According to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the United States would be better off not getting militarily involved in the conflict between Iran and Israel. According to the Prime Minister, the chance of escalation is currently too great, so Trump would be better off taking a step back, he says.
Starmer stressed that there had been several rounds of talks between Iran and the US in the past, and that, according to Starmer, this is the way to resolve the problems.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy is currently in Washington to discuss the situation in the Middle East with his American counterpart Marco Rubio. The meeting is scheduled to take place later today.
New Iranian missile attack on Israel
Iran has launched a new missile attack on Israel. This is reported by The Times of Israel, among others. Air raid sirens are also sounding in Haifa and the north of Israel. It would again involve ballistic missiles, which are more difficult for the Iron Dome air defense system to intercept.
It is too early to report any casualties or damage.
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Palestinian Civil Defense: Israeli Attacks Kill 25
At least 25 people have been killed by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip today, the civil defense in the Palestinian territory reported.
The victims reportedly included 15 people who were waiting for humanitarian aid. They were killed near the Netzarim corridor - in the center of the area - where thousands of people flock daily to receive food aid. Another 60 people were also injured, the civil defense added. The Israeli army said it was"investigating" the allegation.
The 10 other deaths occurred in two separate incidents in the northern Gaza Strip, the civil protection added.
Palestinian sources say dozens of people have been killed in recent weeks while distributing food aid in the Gaza Strip. The information cannot be verified by independent bodies due to media restrictions and difficult access to the area.
IDF: Two-thirds of Iranian missile launchers disabled
Israel is said to have already neutralized two-thirds of Iran's missile launchers since the conflict began last week, an Israeli military official told the British news agency Reuters.
Iran is estimated to have around 100 rocket launchers, the anonymous source also says. The rocket launchers are a key target for the Israeli army, to prevent Iran from firing any more projectiles towards Israeli cities.
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Iranian missiles hit hospital and several cities in Israel
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Maarten Bockstaele
Iranian Foreign Minister Confirms Participation in Talks with European Counterparts
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has confirmed that he will meet with his counterparts from Germany, France and the United Kingdom in Geneva tomorrow to discuss the escalation of the conflict with Israel.
“We will meet the European delegation in Geneva on Friday,” Araghchi said in a statement carried by the state news agency Irna.
Diplomatic sources had previously reported that the ministers of the three major European countries would speak with their Iranian counterparts in Geneva. The High Representative of the European Foreign Policy Kaja Kallas would also be present, but her spokesperson could not confirm this earlier.
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"No radioactive effects" after Israeli attack on nuclear power plant in Arak
The International Atomic Energy Agency has issued a brief response to the Israeli attack on the nuclear reactor in Arak, Iran."We have information that the heavy water reactor, which was still under construction, was hit," the IAEA said on X."The reactor was not operational and did not contain nuclear material and therefore has no radiological effects."
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Joppe De Hert
Iranian Foreign Ministry Critical of International Atomic Energy Agency
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei has been critical of Rafael Grossi, the head of the UN nuclear watchdog, and has accused the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of being complicit in an"unjust war of aggression" launched by Israel.
In a post on X, Baghaei responded to a CNN interview in which Grossi said there was no evidence of a systematic effort by Iran to develop nuclear weapons."This is too late, Mr. Grossi," Baghaei said, holding up an IAEA resolution accusing Iran of violating its obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Israel is using that resolution as a valid reason to attack Iran.
“Misleading narratives have serious consequences, Mr Grossi, and require accountability. You have betrayed the non-proliferation regime, you have made the IAEA an accomplice in this unjust war of aggression.”
Israel to step up attacks on strategic sites in Iran
The Israeli army will intensify its attacks on strategic locations and government targets in Iran in order to undermine the regime in Tehran, Defense Minister Israel Katz said on X.
Katz said he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have ordered the military to"increase the intensity of strikes against strategic targets in Iran and government targets in Tehran to eliminate threats to the State of Israel and undermine the ayatollahs' regime."
"The cowardly Iranian dictator is deep in the fortified bunker and is firing targeted attacks on hospitals and residential buildings in Israel. These are war crimes of the worst kind - and Khamenei (Iran's leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, ed.) will be held accountable for his crimes."
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Iran files complaint with International Atomic Energy Agency over Israeli attack
Iran has filed a complaint with the International Atomic Energy Agency over the Israeli attack on the nuclear reactor in Arak and the nuclear site in Natanz, the Iranian news agency IRNA reported.
Iran said the attack violated “international laws prohibiting attacks on nuclear facilities.” The Israeli attack reportedly caused no casualties.
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Director of Soroka Hospital: “Patients and staff were in bomb shelters”
The Iranian missile that fell on the Soroka hospital in Beersheba hit an old part of the building, director Shlomi Kodesh said at a press conference."A missile hit our old surgical department, an old building that had been evacuated in recent days."
Other buildings in the hospital were also damaged. “But all our patients and staff were in shelters. A few people were slightly injured, mainly by the shock wave of the explosion.”
Hospital staff are now looking at which departments are still intact to accommodate patients. If necessary, patients will be transferred to other hospitals. Kodesh calls for avoiding the hospital.
Iran warns US of possible military intervention: “We will use all means”
Iran's deputy foreign minister has warned the United States that it will use all means if the Americans support Israel in the conflict. Trump has not yet made a decision on a possible intervention in Iran in support of ally Israel.
“If the United States wants to actively intervene in favor of the Zionist regime (Israel, ed.), Iran will have to use its resources to teach the aggressors a lesson and defend its national security and interests,” Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi told state television. “All options are on the table of our military decision-makers.”
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Joppe De Hert
Israeli army shares images of attack near nuclear power plant in Arak
The Israeli military has confirmed that it struck an"unfinished nuclear reactor" in Arak and a nuclear site in Natanz, central Iran, during overnight airstrikes. According to an army statement, the air force"attacked a nuclear weapons development site in the Natanz region" and also targeted "the nuclear reactor in the Arak region."
The attack on the Arak site was carried out "to prevent the use of the reactor for the development of nuclear weapons. The Israeli Air Force also hit a nuclear weapons development site in the Natanz region."
About 40 fighter jets took part in the attacks, which hit dozens of targets.
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Israel attacks heavy water reactor in Iran:
At least 47 injured in Iranian airstrikes, Netanyahu:"Iran will pay heavy price"
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has responded to the Iranian airstrikes. He warns that Iran"will pay a heavy price". According to the emergency services, there are already more than 47 wounded. Of these, 3 are seriously injured.
“This morning, Iran’s terrorist dictators fired missiles at Soroka Hospital in Beersheba and at civilians in the center of the country. We will make the tyrants of Tehran pay a heavy price,” Netanyahu said in a message on X.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel also denounced the attack."Not a military base. A hospital. It's the main medical center for the entire Negev region of Israel. Deliberate. Criminal. A civilian target. The world must respond."
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Jens Franssen on airstrike on hospital: “Target was military intelligence”
From the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, VRT NWS journalist Jens Franssen provides more information about the Iranian airstrikes this morning. “Around 6:30 the air raid siren went off here. You could hear that it was a bigger attack with bigger bangs. At least 2 rockets fell in Tel Aviv and there was a lot of material damage.”
According to Franssen, Iran wanted to hit the Israeli army headquarters with the airstrike on Tel Aviv. That headquarters is located in the city center.
Also in Beersheba, where one of the largest hospitals in the south of the country was hit, Iran had a specific target."The hospital is located near a military intelligence service." There is no information yet about the number of victims in the hospital.
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Joppe De Hert
“Dozens of missiles from Iran hit”
The Israeli military has since responded to the Iranian airstrikes. “Dozens of rockets from Iran struck multiple locations in southern and central Israel this morning,” the IDF said in a statement. “Large, sustained explosions were heard in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, among other places. Air raid sirens were sounded in several parts of the country, and the military warned of approaching ballistic missiles.”
According to journalists from the French news agency AFP, the explosions around 7 a.m. local time in Jerusalem were the most violent since the conflict with Iran began a week ago. The Magen David Adom ambulance service said that around 30 people were slightly injured in various places. Around 7:40 a.m., residents were able to leave their shelters.
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Projectiles fly through the air over Israel as sirens blare:
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Joppe De Hert
Israel launches attack on controversial nuclear plant in Arak, Iranian media report
Israel has begun attacking the heavy water reactor in Arak, near Khondab. Iranian media reported this. According to these media, an area near the nuclear power plant has already been hit. Earlier, the Israeli army announced that it planned to attack the reactor.
There is a lot of mystery and controversy surrounding the nuclear power plant in Arak. “According to Iran, nuclear material is being made for medical applications,” says VRT NWS journalist Jens Franssen. “But a byproduct that is being made there is plutonium. That can be used to ignite an atomic bomb.”
That is why the nuclear power plant was already deactivated in 2015, as part of the nuclear deal with Iran. Although the nuclear power plant is not completely finished, thanks to the deal, there has been a lot of uncertainty about the situation in Arak in recent years. According to the International Atomic Energy Community, Iran is planning to put the nuclear power plant back into operation next year.
The heavy water reactor in Arak.
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Joppe De Hert
Jens Franssen:"It is not clear whether there are victims in hospital"
New Iranian airstrikes have hit several targets in Israel."Most of the rockets have again fallen in the city of Tel Aviv," says VRT NWS journalist Jens Franssen.
But the damage is also extensive in Jerusalem and the south of Israel."In Beersheba, the Soroka hospital was hit, but it is still unclear whether there are any casualties." The hospital in Beersheba is said to be one of the largest hospitals in the south of Israel.
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Joppe De Hert
Iranian airstrike hits hospital in southern Israel
Iran has carried out airstrikes on multiple targets in Israel this morning. According to Israeli media, a hospital in Beersheba, in the south of the country, was among those hit.
The Israeli army reports on X that air raid sirens have gone off in various places in the country. “Millions of residents are currently having to seek shelter from an air raid by Iran,” it says.
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Several cities in Israel hit by rockets, including a hospital in Beersheba:
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Trump approves attack plan against Iran, CBS reports
US President Donald Trump has approved plans to attack Iran, according to US news channel CBS. However, he has not yet decided whether the US will actually launch a military operation against Iran.
Trump is delaying that decision for now, because he hopes to make a deal on Iran's nuclear program. The American president, like Israel, is convinced that Iran was only weeks away from creating a nuclear bomb.
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Joppe De Hert
Israel again targets military infrastructure in Iran
In new attacks on Iran last night, the Israeli army targeted the capital Tehran. The targets are near military infrastructure that Israel says it will bomb. The army also plans to attack a nuclear power plant in Arak, 250 kilometers from the capital.
The Israeli military has called on residents to evacuate in two locations, Arak and Khondab."The IDF continues to operate in the area, as it has done throughout Iran in recent days, targeting the Iranian regime's military infrastructure," the Israeli military said in a statement."Your presence in this area puts your lives at risk."
