Escalation in the Middle East Rocket attacks in Israel

For the third day in a row, Israel and Iran have exchanged heavy attacks. The number of casualties on both sides is rising. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is issuing further threats – and US President Trump is also speaking out sharply.

Israel and Iran have continued their mutual attacks, resulting in numerous deaths and injuries on both sides.

A rocket alert was sounded across almost all of Israel on Sunday, and dull explosions were heard in central Tel Aviv. South of Tel Aviv, in Bat Yam, residential buildings and multi-story buildings were hit, killing at least 13 people, including children. Many others were injured in the attacks.

Rescue teams, using sniffer dogs and heavy excavators, searched the rubble of destroyed residential buildings for survivors. According to the Reuters news agency, 35 people are also missing.

The news agency dpa reported at least 370 injuries nationwide. The exact number of casualties is currently unknown. According to Israeli sources, 22 of the 270 ballistic missiles fired by Iran in the past two nights penetrated Israeli defenses.

Iran reports several explosions and deaths in Tehran

At the same time, heavy attacks on Tehran were reported. According to state radio, explosions occurred near Mehrabad Airport in the heart of the city. According to eyewitness reports, several explosions occurred in northern Tehran, and the water supply was reportedly out in some parts of the city.

Iran reported at least 138 deaths from Israeli attacks since Friday. On Saturday, 60 people were killed when a rocket brought down a 14-story apartment building in Tehran. Children were also among the victims.

According to information available to ARD correspondent Katharina Willinger, new impacts and explosions are constantly occurring in Tehran. There is great panic in the city, with many people trying to leave the metropolis. Netanyahu: Iran will pay a high price

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a visit to Bat Yam, which was hit by Iranian missiles:"Iran will pay a high price for the murder of civilians, women and children."

An Israeli military official said Israel struck 80 targets overnight, including the Iranian Defense Ministry headquarters and nuclear facilities. Among the targets on Saturday night were two"dual-use" fuel facilities. Israel still has a long list of targets in Iran, the military official said.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz had previously announced further military attacks in Iran. Following a military call for evacuation of people near arms factories in Iran, Katz said:"The military will attack the targets and skin the Iranian snake in Tehran and elsewhere of nuclear capabilities and weapons systems."

Iranian President Massoud Peseschkian, meanwhile, warned that his country's response would be"more decisive and harsh" if Israel's hostile actions continued.

Trump warns of attack on US military

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump praised the Israeli offensive and denied Iranian allegations of US involvement. He warned Tehran against extending its retaliatory measures to US facilities."If we are attacked in any way by Iran, the full force and might of the US armed forces will come down on you on a scale never before seen."

But Trump added: "We can easily reach an agreement between Iran and Israel and end this bloody conflict."

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz sided with Israel."Iran's progress toward nuclear weapons led to Israel attacking military targets in Iran on Friday," Merz said before leaving for the G7 summit in Canada.

For him, it was clear that Iran should not possess nuclear weapons. This would be an existential threat to Israel, the Middle East, and the international community as a whole. Like other states, Merz called for a resumption of diplomacy.

Iran accuses Israel of sabotaging nuclear talks

Before the latest escalation, the US had been negotiating with Iran to obtain a commitment to drastically curb its nuclear program. A further round of these talks, scheduled for Sunday, was canceled by mediator Oman. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi also accused Israel of trying to sabotage these talks.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) declared on Thursday that Iran was violating its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Israel, which has not signed the treaty and is alleged to possess nuclear weapons, wants to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. The government in Tehran has repeatedly emphasized that its nuclear program serves exclusively civilian purposes.

Energy prices are rising

Concerns about possible disruptions to oil exports from the region had already caused oil prices to rise by nine percent on Friday. Israel had spared the Iranian oil and gas industry in its initial attacks. However, on Saturday, there was also apparently an attack on Iranian energy infrastructure.

According to the Iranian news agency Tasnim, production at the South Pars gas field has been partially suspended. Located in the southern province of Bushehr, the field is the largest in the world and produces most of the gas produced in Iran.

El Al airline stops bookings until the end of June

Air traffic in Israel has been temporarily suspended, and operations at the largest airport, Ben Gurion Airport, have been suspended. The Israeli airline El Al announced that it will not accept bookings for flights to or from Israel until the end of the month. The policy will remain in effect until the security situation improves.

However, the airline says it intends to prepare possible repatriation flights for Israeli citizens who wish to return home from abroad, as well as for foreign nationals who are currently unable to leave Israel. Bookings for these flights will be available via a dedicated website as soon as approval is granted to resume flight operations.