US President Trump has reportedly encouraged Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to stick to his course with regard to Iran. Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Katz reports the destruction of Iran's internal security headquarters. More in the live ticker.
Amid speculation about a possible US entry into the war, Israel and Iran have continued their mutual attacks. The Israeli Air Force reportedly attacked targets in the Iranian capital Tehran again. Previously, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard had fired two rocket salvos at the Jewish state within less than an hour. There have been no reports of casualties from either country in the latest attacks.
In total, 24 people have died in Israel since Friday. According to official figures, at least 224 people have been killed in Iran since the start of the major Israeli offensive on Friday night. Nearly 1,300 people have been injured, according to a representative of the Iranian Ministry of Health.
Since Friday morning, Israel has been attacking nuclear facilities in Iran, among others, killing several military leaders and nuclear scientists. The"preemptive strike" is justified by Iran's advanced nuclear program.
All developments of the military conflict:
7:46 PM – Iran largely restricts access to the Internet
Iran has largely restricted internet access in the country. The Iranian Ministry of Communications stated, according to the Fars news agency, that Israel is abusing"the country's communications network for military purposes." Therefore,"temporary restrictions on users' access to the internet" have been imposed. Citing network data, the London-based organization NetBlocks stated that Iran is now experiencing a"nearly complete nationwide internet blackout."
7:21 PM – “Keep going” – Trump encourages Netanyahu to stick to his course against Iran
US President Donald Trump has said he has encouraged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stick to his guns regarding Iran. Asked what he told Netanyahu, Trump told reporters:"I said, 'Go ahead.'" He speaks with Netanyahu every day."He's a good man," Trump emphasized.
When asked whether he had indicated to Netanyahu that he intended to help Israel more than he had done so far, Trump replied,"No." He said Israel's prime minister was doing a good job so far. The US military supports Israel in its defense. However, the US government has so far emphasized that it is not involved in the fighting between Israel and Iran. With regard to his actions toward Iran, Trump was also asked whether he had given the country an ultimatum. After a brief moment of reflection, the US president replied that one could say so."You could perhaps call it the ultimate, the ultimate ultimatum, right?"
6:53 p.m. – USA wants to evacuate compatriots from Israel by cruise ship
The US State Department plans to evacuate its compatriots in Israel by cruise ship and plane. US citizens who want to leave Israel can register with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee wrote on Wednesday. Currently, approximately 700,000 Americans live in Israel, many of them with dual US-Israeli citizenship.
6:48 PM – New missile attack from Iran
According to the Israeli military, Iran has again fired rockets at Israel."Defense systems are in operation to intercept the threat," it said in a statement. Iran confirmed the attack. Warning sirens sounded in several areas of the country, including the densely populated Tel Aviv metropolitan area. People in the affected regions were instructed to stay in shelters.
18:05 – Special flight from Jordan to Germany en route
A special flight is bringing Germans and their families stranded in Israel from the Jordanian capital Amman to Frankfurt. 171 people have been able to leave the region, the German Foreign Office announced on X. Landing is expected this evening.
Another flight is planned for Thursday. Germans wishing to leave Israel will have to travel to neighboring Jordan on their own. Other European countries, such as Poland, have organized a convoy to Jordan for their citizens.
5:17 PM – Government flights from Iran trigger speculation
A flight of two Iranian government aircraft to Oman has sparked speculation on social media about a possible trip by Iranian government officials to the Gulf state. According to the tracking portal Flightradar, two planes belonging to the airline"Meradsch" landed at the airport in the Omani capital, Muscat, in the evening (local time). Oman had recently mediated in the nuclear dispute between the US and Iran before the outbreak of war. Iranian media did not report on the flights. Observers currently see little opportunity for diplomacy.
5:10 PM – US Secretary of Defense refuses to testify before Senate on possible Iran options
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth tells the Senate that he will not disclose whether he has presented President Donald Trump with options for an attack on Iran. He will not disclose this in a public forum, he tells the House Armed Services Committee. However, the US military stands ready to implement any decisions Trump makes.
4:30 p.m. – Iran wants to negotiate, according to Trump
US President Donald Trump declares that Iran has proposed negotiations at the White House. The head of state does not provide details. Trump, however, appears reserved:"It is very late for talks." He dodges reporters' questions about whether a US military attack on Iran is planned."Nobody knows what I'm going to do." Regarding the Islamic Republic's military capabilities, he declares that the country is"completely defenseless, without any air defenses."
4:15 PM – No more internet access in large parts of Iran
Internet access has become even more difficult in Iran. The remaining connections collapsed across the country on Wednesday afternoon, according to reporters from the Associated Press. Residents of the capital Tehran confirmed the internet outage by phone. Authorities initially offered no explanation.
The day before, the analysis firm Netblocks had already warned of a severe restriction on free internet access in Iran. This would limit the ability to"access information at a critical time," it added.
16:08 – Russia warns USA against Middle East intervention
Russia is warning the US against intervening in the war between Israel and Iran."This would be a step that would radically destabilize the entire situation," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Wednesday, according to the Interfax news agency.
3:42 PM – Israel’s Defense Minister reports destruction of internal security headquarters in Iran
According to Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, Israeli fighter jets destroyed the internal security headquarters in Iran on Wednesday. This struck"the most important arm of the Iranian dictator's oppression," Katz said. The Israeli military had previously reported attacks on"military targets" in Tehran.
2:55 PM – Israel launches new attacks on targets in Tehran
Israel's air force has launched a new wave of attacks on targets in the Iranian capital Tehran. Eyewitnesses reported multiple explosions in the northeast of the metropolis and heavy anti-aircraft fire. There were no initial reports of casualties or damage.
13:19 – Khamenei rejects demand for surrender – and threatens the USA
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejects US President Donald Trump's demand for unconditional surrender, according to state media."The Iranian people are determined and will resist both an imposed war and an imposed peace," Khamenei said in a televised address. He threatened the US in the event of military intervention. This would cause"irreparable damage," the Iranian head of state said.
However, Khamenei was not shown, nor was his voice heard. This is likely to fuel speculation about a possible imminent replacement of the Ayatollah at the country's helm.
12:47 p.m. – Khamenei announces TV address
According to official news agencies, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a speech that Israel had made a huge mistake with its attacks and would be punished for it. Addressing the United States, Khamenei said they should know that Iran would never surrender. Any US attacks on Iran would have"irreparable consequences."
12:22 p.m. – Israel claims to have attacked more than 1,100 Iranian targets so far
Israel's military says it has attacked more than 1,100 targets in Iran since the start of its offensive. The air force has carried out hundreds of strikes since Friday, said army spokesperson Effie Defrin."We are acting systematically to neutralize the nuclear threat." Defrin added that the attacks had also caused "significant damage" to the ballistic missile infrastructure.
10:42 a.m. – Report: Air strikes against US bases prepared
In the event of the US intervention in the conflict between Israel and Iran, Iran has prepared missiles for air strikes against US bases in the Middle East. The New York Times reports this, citing sources in the Iranian and US administrations. According to the report, around 40,000 American troops are stationed in the region, and their alert status has been increased.
In addition to air strikes on bases in Iraq, for example, the report also expects Iran to mine the Strait of Hormuz, a strait that provides access to the Persian Gulf.
09:54 – Israel’s Defense Minister: “A tornado is sweeping over Tehran”
With a new statement, the Israeli Defense Minister has fueled speculation that Israel's war against Iran isn't just targeting the country's nuclear program."Symbols of the government are being bombed and collapsing—from the broadcasting station to other targets soon," Israel Katz wrote on Platform X. A tornado is sweeping over Tehran."This is how dictatorships collapse."
08:42 – Report: Israel running out of interceptor missiles
According to a media report, Israel is running out of interceptor missiles for its Arrow defense system. The Wall Street Journal reported, citing a US insider, that the missile stock is running low. The report could not initially be confirmed.
06:46 – Israel attacks centrifuge production facility
The Israeli army reportedly attacked a centrifuge production facility in Tehran and weapons factories overnight. More than 50 jets participated in nighttime operations.
The centrifuge production facility in Tehran was used by Iran to expand the scope and rate of its uranium enrichment for the purpose of developing nuclear weapons, the military said.
06:43 – Iran reports use of hypersonic missiles
Tehran claims to have fired a"hypersonic missile" at Israel overnight. In the"eleventh wave" of attacks on Israel,"Fattah" hypersonic ballistic missiles were fired, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard reported on an Iranian state broadcaster. Iranian forces"gained complete control over the skies of the occupied territories." The AFP news agency previously incorrectly referred to a "Fattah 3" missile.
05:00 – USA closes embassy in Jerusalem until Friday
The United States announces that it will temporarily close its embassy in Jerusalem. Due to the"current security situation in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran," the US embassy will be closed starting Wednesday and until Friday, the embassy stated on its website.
"All U.S. government employees and their families" have also been instructed to seek safety until further notice due to the ongoing fighting. However, there has been no official announcement to date regarding assistance for U.S. citizens leaving the"crisis zone," the statement added.
03:03 – Rocket production facility attacked
According to Iranian news websites, Israel has launched attacks on the Khojir missile production facility near the capital Tehran. According to media reports, this facility was previously attacked in October.
02:22 – Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei threatens Israel
Amid the escalating situation in the Middle East, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is once again threatening Israel."We must give a strong response to the Zionist terror regime," he wrote on the news platform X."We will show no mercy to the Zionists."
Previously, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard—the Islamic Republic's elite military force—fired several rockets at Israel in two waves of attacks. Israeli media reported a total of around 25 missiles. The Israeli military responded by attacking targets in the Iranian capital, Tehran.
01:38 – Wave of attacks on Tehran launched
Israel's military says it has launched another wave of attacks on Tehran. The Iranian news agency Nournews reported explosions in a Tehran district.
01:14 – Iran: Citizens should delete WhatsApp from their phones
Iranian state television is urging the country's citizens to remove the WhatsApp messaging service from their smartphones. The report on Tuesday afternoon claimed – without providing any concrete evidence – that the app was collecting user data to send to Israel. WhatsApp subsequently issued a statement saying that neither locations nor personal messages were being tracked."We do not share mass information with governments," it added. It is"concerned that these false reports are a pretext for blocking our services at a time when people need them most." WhatsApp has been owned by the Facebook-owned Meta group for more than a decade.
According to the analytics firm Netblocks, Iran is currently facing a severe restriction of free internet access."Telemetry analysis shows a significant reduction in internet traffic in Iran," the group said. This will limit the ability to"access information at a critical time," it added. Iran had previously banned government officials and their bodyguards from using all internet-connected communication devices.
00:15 – Israel’s military reports new rocket attack from Iran
According to Israeli sources, Iranian forces have again fired rockets at Israel. Air raid sirens have been sounded in several parts of the country, the Israeli military said. The armed forces attempted to intercept the rockets. The population was called upon to follow the military's instructions. Shortly afterward, people in the affected areas were allowed to leave their shelters.
Tuesday, June 17
11:19 PM – Moscow: Israel is driving the world towards nuclear catastrophe
Nuclear-weapon Russia accuses Israel of driving the world toward a nuclear catastrophe."The ongoing, intensive attacks by the Israeli side against peaceful nuclear facilities in the Islamic Republic of Iran are illegal under international law," said a statement from the Foreign Ministry in Moscow. The attacks"pose an unacceptable threat to international security and are driving the world toward a nuclear catastrophe, the consequences of which will be felt everywhere, including in Israel itself."
Russia itself repeatedly threatened to use nuclear weapons during the Ukraine war. Last year, it lowered its nuclear threshold. Since then, the country's nuclear weapons doctrine has included, among other things, that Moscow considers the aggression of a non-nuclear state supported by nuclear powers as a joint attack against Russia. This is directed against the fact that Ukraine is supported by nuclear powers.
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