Israel and Iran

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? Israel prepares to strike Iran

Israel is making preparations to swiftly strike Iran's nuclear facilities if negotiations between the U.S. and Iran collapse, two Israeli sources with knowledge of the discussions tell Axios' Barak Ravid.

• Why it matters: The Israeli intelligence community has shifted just in the past few days from believing a nuclear deal was close to thinking talks could soon break down, the sources say.

One source said the Israeli military thinks its operational window to conduct a successful strike could close soon, so Israel will have to move fast if talks fail. The source declined to say why the military believes a strike would be less effective later.

• "Bibi is waiting for the nuclear talks to collapse and for the moment Trump will be disappointed about the negotiations and open to giving him the go-ahead," an Israeli source added, using a nickname for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Friction point: A U.S. official told Axios the Trump administration is concerned Netanyahu might make his move even without a green light from President Trump.

• Keep reading.

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Iran threatens to move nuclear material to secret sites to thwart Israeli strike

Iran threatened on Thursday to move its nuclear material to undeclared sites to protect it from a potential Israeli military strike.

https://www.axios.com/2025/05/22/iran-move-nuclear-material-uranium-secret-sites?

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?? Dire warning for Israel

A missile is displayed during an annual military parade in Tehran. Photo: Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty White House envoy Steve Witkoff privately warned Senate Republicans last week that Iran could unleash a mass casualty response if Israel bombs its nuclear facilities, sources tell Axios' Barak Ravid. Israel is preparing to strike Iran quickly if Witkoff's diplomacy fails during high-stakes negotiations this weekend. If that happens, Iran's retaliation could overwhelm Israel's defenses and cause heavy damage, Witkoff told GOP senators. ?? What we're watching: President Trump told reporters today that he doesn't want to say an Israeli strike "is imminent," but that "it might very well happen." Trump stressed he wants to avoid conflict but said that will require concessions that Iran has been unwilling to make. Go deeper.

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How Israel did it

Smoke rises in Tehran last night. Photo: Vahid Salemi/AP Israel's stunning and sprawling operation overnight targeting Iran's nuclear facilities, missile sites, scientists and generals followed eight months of intensive clandestine preparations, Axios' Barak Ravid reports. Why it matters: The operation launched a new war in the Middle East that could draw in the U.S., demolished any hopes of a nuclear deal, and dealt arguably the biggest single blow to the Iranian regime since the 1979 revolution. And it's only just beginning. Israel is attempting to "eliminate" Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities in an operation expected to last at least several days, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced. Other Israeli officials said it could take weeks. Israel attempted — just in the opening hours — to assassinate nuclear scientists it claims had the know-how to make a nuclear bomb. Around 25 scientists were targeted and at least two are confirmed dead so far. Israel also targeted the entire top brass of Iran's military. The commander of the Revolutionary Guard and military chief of staff were both confirmed dead, along with another senior general. The Israeli operation didn't just include air strikes. Israel's Mossad intelligence service has operatives on the ground conducting covert sabotage operations on missile and air defense sites, officials said. Israel is expected to keep pounding Iran's underground nuclear facilities in the coming days, along with other targets. Iran launched more than 100 drones at Israel in an initial wave of retaliation this morning, but many have been intercepted. Mohammad Bagheri, the commander-in-chief of Iran's military, was killed during the Israeli attack. He's seen here speaking with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Photo: Zuma Press Wire via Reuters ? Behind the scenes: The idea for an operation simultaneously targeting Iran's missile and nuclear programs — which Netanyahu has described as existential threats to Israel — took hold after Iran struck Israel in October, during a cycle of tit-for-tat escalation between the countries. Motivated both by Iran's fast-growing missile arsenal and its weakened air defenses following Israel's retaliation, Netanyahu ordered the military and intelligence services to begin planning. Adding to the urgency: Iran's plans in the coming weeks to open a new underground enrichment facility that would be immune to even massive U.S. bunker busters. Friction point: Even as President Trump pursued a nuclear deal, Israel was preparing for this strike — gathering intelligence, positioning assets and eventually conducting drills. Those preparations alarmed some in the White House, who worried Netanyahu might move even without a green light from Trump. Netanyahu assured Trump he wouldn't. The White House, for its part, told Netanyahu that if Israel attacked Iran, it would do so alone. Trump himself said several times in recent days, including several hours before the strikes, that he opposed an Israeli strike that could "blow up" the negotiations. A firefighter calls out for colleagues today at the scene of an explosion in northern Tehran. Photo: Vahid Salemi/AP The intrigue: But in the hours after the attack began, Israeli officials briefed reporters that this was all coordinated with Washington. Two Israeli officials claimed to Axios that Trump and his aides were only pretending to oppose an Israeli attack in public — and didn't express opposition in private. "We had a clear U.S. green light," one claimed. The goal, they say, was to convince Iran that no attack was imminent and make sure Iranians on Israel's target list wouldn't move to new locations. ⚡ State of play: The U.S. side has not confirmed any of that. In the hours before and after the strike, the Trump administration distanced itself from the Israeli operation in public statements and private messages to allies. Secretary of State Marco Rubio swiftly stated that Israel's attack was "unilateral" with no U.S. involvement. Hours later, Trump confirmed he knew the attack was coming but stressed the U.S. had no military involvement.

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? What we know

Map: Reuters Here's what we know, via Axios' Dave Lawler: This is war between Israel and Iran. Israel will keep bombing for several days and Iran will hit back, possibly on U.S. targets as well. ⁠Nuclear diplomacy is all but dead. The U.S. says White House envoy Steve Witkoff still intends to attend talks in Oman on Sunday. But assuming Tehran balks, there might never be Iran nuclear talks again. Israel is fighting alone, at least in terms of actually conducting attacks. The degree of U.S. intelligence, logistical and defensive support for this operation is unclear. But Secretary of State Marco Rubio made clear this is Israel's fight to wage on its own. White House via X What we don't know: Will this escalate beyond bombs and missiles to a ground war, or a regional conflict? How much of Iran's nuclear capabilities will survive, and will the Iranian regime now decide the time has come to build a bomb as soon as it's able to — whether that's months from now or possibly years? Will President Trump distance himself from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel's operation, leaving Israel completely isolated internationally, or will he support their efforts to decimate Iran? Go deeper.

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Israel attacks Iran’s nuclear and missile sites and kills top military officials Israel attacked Iran’s capital early Friday in strikes that targeted the country’s nuclear program and killed at least two top military officers, raising the potential for an all-out war between the two bitter Middle East adversaries. Simmering tensions over Iran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program boiled over and Iran quickly retaliated, sending a swarm of drones at Israel. Read more.

Why this matters: It appeared to be the most significant attack Iran has faced since its 1980s war with Iraq. Multiple sites around the country were hit, including Iran’s main nuclear enrichment facility. The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that an Israeli strike hit Iran’s uranium enrichment facility at Natanz and said it was closely monitoring radiation levels. The leader of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Gen. Hossein Salami, was confirmed dead, Iranian state television reported. The chief of staff of Iranian armed forces, Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, was also confirmed dead by Iranian state television. Other top military officials and scientists were believed to have been killed.   Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that “severe punishment” would be directed at Israel. Israel said Iran had launched drones in an initial response. Countries in the region condemned Israel’s attack, while leaders around the globe called for immediate deescalation from both sides.   U.S. President Donald Trump again urged Iran to reach a deal with Washington on its nuclear program, warning on his Truth Social platform that Israel’s attacks “will only get worse.” Without saying whether he was privy to specific Israeli plans, Trump said “there is still time to make this slaughter, with the next already planned attacks being even more brutal, come to an end.”

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Live updates: Israel strikes Iran’s nuclear and military sites   Timeline of tensions and hostilities between Israel and Iran   Photos of Israel’s attacks on Iran

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Live updates: Israel hit by missiles as Iran retaliates for strikes on nuclear sites

Iranian missiles struck Israel in retaliation for deadly Israeli attacks on nuclear sites and military leaders. The wail of air raid sirens and the rumble of explosions could be heard throughout Israel on Friday, and AP journalists documented explosions as Iranian rockets hit Tel Aviv, the commercial hub of Israel. Read More.

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"They should have made a deal"

Data: Institute for the Study of War and AEI's Critical Threats Project; Map: Axios Visuals Minutes before heading to the Situation Room for a strategy session on Iran, President Trump told Axios' Barak Ravid he believes Israel's massive strike likely improved the chances of a U.S.-Iran nuclear agreement. Asked whether Israel's strike jeopardized his nuclear diplomacy, Trump told Axios: "I don't think so. Maybe the opposite. Maybe now they will negotiate seriously." "I gave Iran 60 days, today is day 61," Trump continued. "They should have made a deal." He argued that after Israel's crippling strikes, Iran now has a stronger incentive to cut a deal. "I couldn't get them to a deal in 60 days. They were close, they should have done it. Maybe now it will happen." ☎️ The intrigue: Israeli officials have been spreading the word since last night that Trump was completely on board, and only publicly opposed the attack as a "smokescreen" to increase the odds of success. A senior White House official denied that today, telling Axios that Trump did not want Israel to attack Iran while the nuclear talks were still intact. Just hours before the attack began, Trump warned Israel not to do anything to "blow" the chances of a deal. Go deeper.

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? How Israel crippled Iran's counterstrike

The view from a living room of a residential building in Tehran that was destroyed by Israel's attack. Photo: Majid Saeedi/Getty Images Intricately planned maneuvers by Israeli spies and pilots helped defuse Iran's initial counterattack, Axios' Barak Ravid reports. ? Zoom in: As it became clear Israel was about to attack, the commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' air force convened in a bunker to coordinate the response. But Israel knew the emergency protocol and the location of the bunker. They destroyed it, killing the overall commander and the heads of the drone and air defense forces. ⚡️ On the ground, Israel's Mossad spy agency was conducting a series of covert sabotage operations deep inside Iran. Mossad was able to smuggle attack drones into Iran long before the operation, an Israeli intelligence official said. During the Israeli strike, those drones were activated, destroying Iranian missiles before they could be launched toward Israel. Go deeper.

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‘The sky is red and we fear more attacks’: Iranians left stunned by Israeli strikes

Everyday people taken by surprise by overnight strikes and left wondering how to prepare for what may come next

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/13/the-sky-is-red-and-we-fear-more-attacks-iranians-left-stunned-by-israeli-strikes?

‘I support it completely’: Israelis back attack on Iran even as retaliatory missiles hit Tel Aviv

At least three people killed in wave of Iranian attacks as handful of warheads slip through Israeli air defences

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/14/i-support-it-completely-israelis-back-attack-on-iran-even-as-retaliatory-missiles-hit-tel-aviv?

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☢️ Iran's toughest target

A 2013 satellite photo of Iran's Fordow enrichment facility. Photo: DigitalGlobe via Getty Images One factor that could determine whether Israel's audacious attack on Iran proves a daring success or a dangerous mistake is the fate of Iran's Fordow uranium enrichment site, Axios' Barak Ravid reports. The big picture: Israel will require unforeseen tactical ingenuity or U.S. assistance to destroy Fordow, which is built into a mountain and deep underground. But if the facility remains intact and accessible, a nuclear program Israel is determined to "eliminate" could actually accelerate. "The entire operation ... really has to be completed with the elimination of Fordow," Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter told Fox News yesterday. That's why the Israeli government hopes the Trump administration ultimately decides to join Israel's operation. ? Breaking it down: Israel lacks the huge bunker busters needed to destroy this facility and the strategic bombers to carry them. The U.S. has both within flying distance of Iran. An Israeli official claimed to Axios that the U.S. could still join the operation, and that President Trump even suggested he'd do so if necessary in a conversation with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the days leading up to launch. But a White House official denied that, telling Axios Trump said exactly the opposite. The U.S. currently has no intention of getting directly involved, the official said. Keep reading.

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Iran retaliates

Israeli security forces inspect destroyed houses that were struck by a missile fired from Iran, in Rishon Lezion today. Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg/AP Iran mounted a major counterattack against Israel yesterday, launching barrages of missiles 18 hours after Israel's first strike, which kicked off a new war in the region, Axios' Barak Ravid reports. The U.S. is helping to intercept incoming ballistic missiles, according to an Israeli official and a senior U.S. official. At least three people died and dozens were wounded Saturday morning in Israel after Iran's retaliatory strikes, AP reports. Iranian State media reported that at least 78 people had been killed and more than 300 wounded in Israel's attack, with most of the casualties being civilians. The strikes also killed top security officials and hit Iran's nuclear facilities. "If (Iranian Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali) Khamenei continues to fire missiles at the Israeli home front — Tehran will burn," Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz warned today. Iranian state television reported online that air defenses were firing in the cities of Khorramabad, Kermanshah and Tabriz, signaling the start of what could be a new Israeli attack.

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Israel’s attack on Iran marks moment of truth for Netanyahu

After battling Iran’s allies across the region following Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has turned his attention to what he describes as the “head of the octopus,” with an unprecedented and open-ended military offensive against Iran and its nuclear program. It is an aggressive gamble made possible by a confluence of factors, including the weakening of Iranian-backed militant groups in Gaza and Lebanon, and the reelection and support of U.S. President Donald Trump. Read more.    ⚡ Trump ruled out Khamenei hit   Missiles launched from Iran are intercepted as seen from Ashkelon, Israel, yesterday. Photo: Amir Cohen/Reuters Over the weekend, Israel had an operational window to assassinate Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, but President Trump made it clear that he is against such a move, U.S. officials told Axios' Barak Ravid. Why it matters: White House officials say Trump is still trying to prevent further escalation of the war and resume talks with Iran on a nuclear deal. The Trump administration has so far distanced itself from Israel's operation and argued that it would be illegitimate for Iran to retaliate by striking U.S. targets. Keep reading.

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Israel-Iran

For the fourth day in a row, Israel and Iran have continued to launch waves of attacks at each other. Israel’s strikes have hit numerous military targets, the foreign ministry building and residential areas in Tehran. Iran’s retaliatory strikes have damaged or destroyed residential buildings and infrastructure, including an Israeli oil refinery and part of the power grid. Search and rescue teams are digging through the rubble left by the bombardments to find victims buried underneath the debris. Amid international pleas for diplomacy and de-escalation, death tolls on both sides continue to climb due to the rapidly escalating hostilities. Officials say Israel’s operation against Iran is expected to take “weeks, not days.”   Iran missile attacks on Israel kill 5, while Israel claims it now has air superiority over Tehran Iran fired a new wave of missile attacks on Israel early Monday, killing at least five people, while Israel claimed in the fourth day of the conflict that it had now achieved “aerial superiority” over Tehran and could fly over the Iranian capital without facing major threats. Read more. Key points: After days of attacks on Iranian air defenses and missile systems, the Israeli military said its aircraft now control the skies from western Iran to Tehran and had destroyed more than 120 surface-to-surface missile launchers, a third of Iran’s total, that had been firing at Israel in overnight missions. Israel said 24 people have been killed and more than 500 injured.   Iran announced it had launched some 100 missiles and vowed further retaliation for Israel’s sweeping attacks on its military and nuclear infrastructure, which have killed at least 224 people in the country since Friday. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Trump vetoed Israeli plan to kill Iran’s supreme leader, US official tells AP   How the militaries of Israel and Iran compare   Photos of the escalating Israel-Iran conflict as attacks continues

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Before the Hatred: When Iran and Israel Were Allies

Before today’s bitter conflict, Iran and Israel were close allies—sharing oil, intelligence, and friendship. This is the lost chapter the world rarely remembers.

https://aish.com/before-the-hatred-when-iran-and-israel-were-allies/?

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Live updates: Netanyahu says Israeli strikes have set Iran’s nuclear program back a ‘long time’

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israeli strikes have set Iran’s nuclear program back a “very, very long time.” He added that Israel is not attempting to topple the Iranian government, but said he would not be surprised if that happened as a result of the strikes. Read More.

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Bibi's new endgame

Photo illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photo: Iranian Supreme Leader Press Office/Anadolu via Getty Images

The staggering success of the first phase of Israel's war in Iran has left its air force in total control of the skies over Tehran — and its leaders contemplating regime change in the Islamic Republic, Axios' Barak Ravid and Marc Caputo write. Why it matters: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has effectively endorsed the idea in a string of media appearances in the last 48 hours. But President Trump has remained unconvinced, at least so far, U.S. officials say. Friction point: When the Israel Defense Forces thought they had a window to assassinate Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei over the weekend, Trump opposed it. A senior administration official summed up the thinking: "It's the Ayatollah you know versus the Ayatollah you don't know." That's not to say Trump couldn't decide to "swoop in and do some gigantic action," the official cautioned. Driving the news: Trump issued an ominous warning overnight that everyone in Tehran (population 10 million) should "immediately evacuate," then announced he was leaving the G7 summit in Canada early. Speculation about an imminent U.S. attack spread like wildfire, before the White House denied it, and Trump himself suggested he might cut a deal. In an overnight strike on Tehran, the Israeli military said it killed Iran's top commander Ali Shadmani, who it described as the "closest figure" to Khamenei. Via Truth Social ? Behind the scenes: Israeli officials tell Axios that regime change isn't an official war aim. It was not one of the objectives approved by the Israeli security cabinet ahead of the war. Several Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officials said they've received no such directive from the political level. But discussions about it are getting louder and more overt. Netanyahu openly stated on Fox News on Sunday that the war could bring regime change to Iran. Then yesterday, he contended that killing Khamenei could "end the war." Subtlety is not the objective. Netanyahu appeared on an Iranian opposition TV program yesterday called "Regime Change In Iran" and mentioned that nobody saw the fall of the Soviet Union or Syria's Assad regime coming until it happened. The other side: The White House supports Israel's stated war aims of eliminating Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities, but not a broader mission to reshape Iran through force. "They might be more comfortable with regime change than we are," the U.S. official said, referring to the Israelis. "They may be more comfortable with destroying the country than we are." "But generally speaking, the world should want this bomb capacity to be destroyed, and eventually we're going to have to get that done." Smoke rises after the IDF attacked Iran's state TV studios in Tehran yesterday. Photo: Getty Images ? Reality check: Since the war started last Friday, there have been no widespread protests in Iran against the regime. Raz Zimmt, a top Israeli expert on Iran from the INSS think tank, told Axios that for now the regime is maintaining its cohesion and determination, and is even closing ranks in the face of the external threat from Israel.

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Israel’s strikes against Tehran broaden as Trump issues ominous warning Israel appeared to be expanding its air campaign on Tehran five days after its surprise attack on Iran’s military and nuclear program, as U.S. President Donald Trump posted an ominous message warning residents of the city to evacuate. Read more.

Why this matters: “IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON,” Trump wrote Monday night before returning to Washington early from a Group of Seven summit. “Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” he added. Trump later denied reports that he had rushed back to Washington to work on a ceasefire, saying his early departure “has nothing to do with a Cease Fire. Much bigger than that,” without elaborating.   Earlier, the Israeli military had called for some 330,000 residents of a neighborhood in the city center to evacuate. Tehran is one of the largest cities in the Middle East, with around 10 million people, roughly equivalent to the entire population of Israel. People have been fleeing since the hostilities began.   Israel says its sweeping assault on Iran’s top military leaders, nuclear scientists, uranium enrichment sites, and ballistic missile program is necessary to prevent its longtime adversary from getting any closer to building an atomic weapon. The strikes have killed at least 224 people since Friday. Iran has retaliated by launching more than 370 missiles and hundreds of drones at Israel. So far, 24 people have been killed in Israel and more than 500 wounded.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Trump is at a moment of choosing as Israel looks for more US help crushing Iran’s nuclear program   Israeli strike on Iranian state TV fills studio with dust and debris during live broadcast   Airports close across the Mideast as the Israel-Iran conflict shutters the region’s airspace

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How Israel pulled off its surprise attack on Iran

Israel stunned and hobbled Iran last week when it pulled off an intelligence and military operation years in the making that struck high-level targets with precision. By the time Iran mustered a response hours later, its ability to retaliate — already weakened by past Israeli strikes — was greatly diminished. Read More.

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? Israel-Iran cyber spillover

Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios

As Israel and Iran exchange airstrikes, cybersecurity experts are warning that a quieter, but still destructive, digital conflict is unfolding behind the scenes, Axios' Sam Sabin writes. U.S. companies could soon find themselves in the blast radius. Why it matters: Iran and Israel are home to some of the world's most skilled hackers. Escalating tensions between the two could spill over into cyberspace, potentially disrupting critical infrastructure, commercial networks and global supply chains. Zoom in: U.S. cybersecurity organizations are urging businesses to remain on high alert for possible Iranian cyberattacks on domestic infrastructure. Iran has a history of state-sponsored hackers and hacktivism targeting U.S. critical infrastructure during previous conflicts. Radware, a U.S.-based cybersecurity firm, estimated a 700% increase in Iranian cyberattacks against Israeli targets since Israel launched its initial missile strike on Tehran on June 12. Keep reading ...

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As more Israeli strikes hit Tehran, Iran warns that U.S. involvement would risk ‘all-out war’ Israeli warplanes pounded Iran’s capital overnight and into Wednesday as Iran launched a small barrage of missiles at Israel with no reports of casualties. The conflict with Iran has killed at least 585 people across Iran and wounded 1,326 others, according to a human rights group. Now, all eyes are on Washington, where President Donald Trump initially distanced himself from the Israeli attacks but has hinted at greater U.S. involvement. Read more.

What to know: Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei delivered the warning in an interview with Al Jazeera English, saying “any American intervention would be a recipe for an all-out war in the region.” He did not elaborate, but thousands of American troops are based in nearby countries within range of Iran’s weapons. The U.S. has threatened a massive response to any attack.   The Washington-based group Human Rights Activists said it had identified 239 of those killed in Israeli strikes as civilians and 126 as security personnel. Iran has not been publishing regular death tolls during the conflict and has minimized casualties in the past. Its last update, issued Monday, put the death toll at 224 people killed and 1,277 others wounded.   Authorities in Iran offered no acknowledgement of the attacks, which has become increasingly common as the Israeli airstrikes have intensified. Iran has fired fewer missiles in each of its barrages, with just a handful launched on Wednesday. It has not explained the decline, but it comes after Israel targeted many Iranian launchers.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ US spies said Iran wasn’t building a nuclear weapon. Trump dismisses that assessment    A split forms in MAGA world as Trump weighs next steps on Iran, with some top stars rebuking him   Iran asks its people to delete WhatsApp from their devices

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Fear grips Tehran as Israeli bombs fall and communicating grows harder

The streets of Tehran are empty, businesses closed, communications patchy at best. With no bona fide bomb shelters open to the public, panicked masses spend restless nights on the floors of metro stations as strikes boom overhead. Read More.   Israel-Iran One week after Israel’s unprecedented attack on Iran, the two countries continue to trade strikes. In Israel, Iran’s latest wave of missiles damaged a hospital in the southern city of Beer Sheva as well as several high-rise buildings in Ramat Gan, just east of Tel Aviv. At least 65 people were injured, Israel’s emergency services said. Iran’s state news agency reported that the “principal target” of the missile strike that damaged the Israeli hospital was a nearby technology park used by the Israel Defense Forces. In Iran, 40 Israeli fighter jets struck the “inactive” Arak nuclear facility about 155 miles southwest of Tehran during a series of overnight raids. The facility was reportedly not seriously damaged. In the skies above both countries, civilians who remained above ground could see anti-aircraft fire intercepting even more missile attacks.

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Israel threatens Iran’s top leader after missiles damage hospital and wound dozens Israel’s defense minister overtly threatened Iran’s supreme leader on Thursday after the latest missile barrage from Iran damaged a major hospital and hit a high-rise and several other residential buildings near Tel Aviv. At least 40 people were wounded in the attacks, according to Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service. Israel, meanwhile, carried out strikes on Iran’s Arak heavy water reactor, in its latest attack on the country’s sprawling nuclear program. Read more.

What to know: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the attack and vowed a response, while Defense Minister Israel Katz blamed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and said the military "has been instructed and knows that in order to achieve all of its goals, this man absolutely should not continue to exist.”   Iranian state TV said there was “no radiation danger whatsoever” from Israel’s attack on the Arak heavy water reactor site. An Iranian state television reporter, speaking live in the nearby town of Khondab, said the facility had been evacuated and there was no damage to civilian areas around the reactor.   Heavy water helps cool nuclear reactors, but it produces plutonium as a byproduct that can potentially be used in nuclear weapons. Israel, in conducting its strike, signaled it remained concerned the Arak facility could be used to produce plutonium again one day. Already, Israel’s campaign has targeted Iran’s enrichment site at Natanz, centrifuge workshops around Tehran, and a nuclear site in Isfahan.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ US starts evacuating some diplomats from its embassy in Israel as Iran conflict intensifies    Putin says Russia could help broker a deal between Iran and Israel in their current conflict   Evacuees from Israel and stranded Israelis find shelter and kosher meals in Cyprus

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'I was lying in bed... The ceiling fell in': At the scene of Israeli hospital hit by Iran strike

Black smoke was still billowing from the middle of the Soroka Medical Center when we arrived, several hours after Iran's attack on the building.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gel0dd5y9o?

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Israel-Iran

The weeklong conflict between Israel and Iran shows no signs of de-escalation. Israel’s military said it struck dozens of targets in Iran overnight, including missile production sites and a nuclear research facility in Tehran. Iran’s Red Crescent Society said five hospitals were damaged as a result of Israeli strikes. An Iranian missile was intercepted over Israel, but the fall of munitions reportedly caused several fires in Beer Sheva. Iran also issued an evacuation warning to Israel’s Channel 14 news, which it claims is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “propaganda channel.” On Thursday, the White House said that President Donald Trump will decide whether to launch a US strike on Iran within the next two weeks, and in the meantime, diplomatic efforts may proceed. However, Iran has said that it will not engage in further talks with the US until the Israeli attacks end.