The long-simmering hostilities between Israel and Iran escalated dramatically on 18 June 2025, as both nations exchanged a fresh wave of missile attacks.
This latest development marked the sixth consecutive day of combat, even as U.S. President Donald Trump issued an unambiguous call for Tehran’s “unconditional surrender”.
Israeli forces reported multiple Iranian missile launches targeting cities including Tel Aviv.
In response, Israel launched airstrikes on several Iranian military sites and installations in Tehran, including a university affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards and the Khojir ballistic missile complex.
According to Iranian media outlets, these strikes marked some of the most direct and destructive attacks on Iranian soil in recent years.
The Israeli Defence Forces also ordered evacuations in parts of Tehran prior to targeted bombings.
President Trump, posting on his Truth Social platform, warned that U.S. patience with Iran was “wearing thin.”
While stating that the U.S. had no plans to eliminate Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, “for now,” Trump’s rhetoric indicated a sharply more aggressive stance.
“We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding,” Trump wrote. “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!”
Trump’s volatile remarks have further blurred the U.S. position on direct engagement. His approach has vacillated between overt threats and guarded diplomacy, adding to uncertainty over potential U.S. involvement.
Reuters cited a source familiar with internal deliberations said the White House is considering options, including joint operations with Israel against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
Trump spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by phone on 17 June and convened a 90-minute National Security Council meeting the same day.
U.S. officials confirmed a military build-up in the region, deploying additional fighter jets and extending current missions.
Thus far, U.S. involvement has been indirect, aiding in the interception of missiles targeting Israeli territory.
The scale of damage and human cost continues to rise. Iran has reported 224 deaths, mainly civilians, while Israel confirmed 24 civilian fatalities. Residents on both sides are fleeing conflict zones, and evacuations are underway in areas under imminent threat.
On 16 June 2025, Israel struck the headquarters of IRINN, Iran’s state broadcaster, disrupting a live broadcast with an explosion. The attack followed an Israeli military warning to Tehran’s District Three. Defence Minister Israel Katz declared: “The Iranian propaganda and incitement mouthpiece is on its way to disappear.”
Anchor Sahar Emami was seen hurrying off-camera as the screen behind her cut out. Moments earlier, she said: “You hear the sound of the aggressor attacking the truth.” People on set were heard saying “Allahu akbar,” the Arabic phrase for God is great.
According to Al Jazeera’s Dorsa Jabbari, IRINN is the most-watched channel in Iran due to restrictions on foreign media.
The BBC reported that at least one staff member was killed. Israel called it a strike on a “communications centre of the Iranian regime,” while Iran’s foreign ministry condemned it as a “war crime.”
The regional impact is broadening. Oil markets are reacting nervously, especially after a strike hit the South Pars gas field, jointly operated by Iran and Qatar.
Analysts warn that prolonged fighting could severely disrupt global energy supplies.
Iran’s response includes moving missile launchers and hardening key sites. However, analysts say Israel has effectively seized control of Iranian airspace.
Nonetheless, deeply fortified nuclear sites like Fordow remain difficult to reach without U.S. military assistance.
The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that Israeli strikes have damaged underground enrichment halls at Natanz.
Iran insists its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes and remains within the framework of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, to which it is a signatory.
Israel, not a party to the treaty, neither confirms nor denies possessing nuclear weapons.
Iran’s internal command structure is under strain. Reports indicate key military and security advisers to Ayatollah Khamenei were killed in airstrikes, a major blow to the leadership’s strategic depth.
Iranian cybersecurity authorities have restricted communication device usage among officials to prevent further breaches.
Khamenei’s influence has waned since the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel triggered the ongoing Gaza war. Since then, Iran’s regional proxies—from Hezbollah to the Houthis—have suffered sustained losses.
Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad, a staunch Iranian ally, has also been ousted, further isolating Tehran.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has pledged to continue operations until Iran’s nuclear capability is neutralised.
Meanwhile, Trump’s public stance suggests that an end to hostilities could hinge on Iran agreeing to strict limitations on uranium enrichment.
While speculation over U.S. military involvement persists, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated at the G7 summit in Canada that there was “no indication” of imminent U.S. entry into the conflict.
With high-level figures eliminated and critical infrastructure damaged, Iran faces one of its most profound national security crises since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
In Gaza, Israel’s military operations show no signs of abating. According to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, Israeli forces killed 56 Palestinians on the morning of 18 June.
Among the dead were dozens reportedly struck in what has been described as another massacre at an aid distribution site managed by the U.S. and Israeli-backed Gaza Health Foundation.
The enclave’s health ministry confirmed that a significant number of casualties were brought to the Nasser Medical Complex, underscoring the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
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