Today, Israel targeted nuclear facilities in Iran, while Iranian missiles struck an Israeli hospital overnight, as the air war continues to escalate with no signs of resolution.
Following the attack that damaged the Soroka hospital in Beersheba, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Tehran’s “tyrants” would face the “full price” for their actions.
Defence Minister Israel Katz indicated that the military had been ordered to ramp up strikes on strategically significant sites in Tehran to mitigate the threat to Israel and destabilize the “Ayatollah regime”.
Mr. Netanyahu has asserted that Israel’s military actions could lead to the downfall of Iran’s leadership, emphasizing that Israel would take all necessary measures to eliminate the “existential threat” posed by Tehran.
Israeli security forces gather outside a building damaged by an Iranian missile in Holon.
Today, Israel confirmed it had attacked Iran’s Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites. A military spokesperson initially claimed that Bushehr, Iran’s only operational nuclear power plant, was also targeted, but clarified later that this statement was erroneous.
Earlier, Israel announced it had struck another nuclear facility near Arak overnight, where Iran is constructing a heavy-water reactor.
Former President Trump has fluctuated between advocating for a quick diplomatic resolution and implying U.S. involvement in the conflict. Yesterday, he stated that his future actions were uncertain. The day before, he suggested on social media that killing Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was an option, and called for Iran’s unconditional surrender.
This week of Israeli air and missile assaults against its significant adversary has resulted in the elimination of Iran’s military leadership, inflicted damage on its nuclear capabilities, and caused hundreds of fatalities. Conversely, Iranian counterstrikes have claimed the lives of at least two dozen civilians in Israel.
Smoke billows over buildings in Tehran following an Israeli attack.
Earlier, the Israeli military reported targeting the Khondab nuclear site near the central city of Arak overnight, which includes a partially constructed heavy-water research reactor. Heavy-water reactors can produce plutonium, usable for nuclear bomb cores, similar to enriched uranium.
The IAEA, the UN nuclear watchdog, stated it had received information confirming damage to the heavy-water research reactor, although it did not contain radioactive materials. It also noted no incidents involving a separate plant that produces heavy water.
Israel, possessing the most advanced military in the Middle East, has been engaged in multiple confrontations since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which ignited the Gaza conflict. It has significantly weakened Iran’s regional allies, namely the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, along with bombarding Yemen’s Houthis.
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The assessment of damage within Iran from the week-long bombing campaign has become increasingly challenging in recent days, as authorities seem keen to limit information flow to prevent public panic.
Iran has ceased providing updates on the death toll, and state media are no longer broadcasting extensive coverage of the damage. Internet access has been almost entirely cut off, and filming by the public has been prohibited, with authorities citing espionage risks.
Israel has issued evacuation orders for entire areas of Tehran, home to 10 million people. Thousands of residents have fled, causing traffic congestion on the highways leading out of the city.
Live: Iran’s Khamenei ‘can no longer be permitted to exist’, states Katz.
Within Israel, Iranian retaliatory missile strikes over the past week have marked a notable escalation, as a significant number of Iranian projectiles have managed to breach defenses, resulting in Israeli casualties in their own homes.
The director-general of the damaged Beersheba hospital, Shlomi Kodesh, informed reporters that a missile strike had devastated multiple wards and injured 40 individuals, mainly staff and patients.
“We’re attempting to minimize the number of people at Soroka. Right now, we’re uncertain if buildings may collapse,” he explained.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed responsibility for targeting Israeli military and intelligence facilities near the hospital. However, an Israeli military official denied the presence of military targets in the vicinity, stating that the attack on a hospital was intentional.
Missiles also struck a residential complex in Ramat Gan, to the east of Tel Aviv.
