Israel-Iran War: The hostilities continued despite international calls to both sides for restraint
Israel-Iran War: Israel and Iran exchanged fresh wave of missile attacks overnight that continued into Sunday, escalating tensions and raising fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East.
The hostilities mark the third consecutive day of fierce retaliatory attacks between Israel and Iran despite international calls to both sides for restraint.
Israel started the military strikes on Friday, targeting Iranian nuclear and military facilities in which senior military officials and nuclear scientists were killed, Iranian authorities said.
Israel said its strikes killed as many as nine senior scientists linked to Iran’s nuclear program, along with several top military generals.
As many as 78 people were killed and more than 320 were injured in these attacks, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations said.
As escalations continued, Iranians and Israelis woke to more devastation and deaths on Sunday as both countries ramped up their assaults overnight — Israel hit Tehran’s defence ministry, while Iran launched a deadly wave of missiles.
Meanwhile, Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group said on Sunday that it launched multiple ballistic missiles at central Israel’s Jaffa over the past 24 hours, in coordination with Iran, amid ongoing missile exchanges between Israel and Iran, news agency Reuters reported.
Let us now look at the most recent, high-impact developments in the Iran–Israel conflict:
Israeli “Operation Rising Lion” launched on June 13
- Major airstrikes across Iran struck over 100 targets, including nuclear facilities (Natanz, Fordow, Isfahan), military bases, and missile launch sites. Key IRGC leaders — Hossein Salami, Mohammad Bagheri, Amir Ali Hajizadeh, Gholam Rezā Mehrabi, Mehdi Rabbani, and Ali Shamkhani — were among those killed.
- Israel reported over 330 munitions deployed via 200+ aircraft and Mossad covert ops that degraded Iran’s air defences.
Iranian retaliation with “Operation True Promise III”
- Iran responded with 150+ ballistic missiles and 100+ drones across six waves, targeting Israeli cities including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
- Iranian strikes caused civilian casualties — 10-13 Israelis believed to have been killed while as many as 435 could be injured — besides damages to residential and military sites.
Israeli air defenses & counterstrikes
- Israeli interceptors — backed by US forces — shot down many missiles; others struck inhabited areas, notably Rishon LeZion and Tel Aviv suburbs.
- Israel continued precision strikes on Iranian air‑defense systems and military infrastructure to prevent further retaliation.
International & political reactions
- Israel: PM Netanyahu vowed sustained campaign “as many days as it takes,” warning that Tehran “will burn” if attacks continue.
- Iran: Supreme Leader Khamenei vowed “painful revenge” as he appointed Majid Mousavi as new IRGC Aerospace Force chief.
- USA: President Donald Trump warned Iran not to strike US interests and said US is ready to end conflict but denied US involvement in Israeli strikes.
- Europe & others: UK deploying RAF jets; France, Ireland, Turkey urging de-escalation; UN’s Guterres calling for restraint.
Wider implications
- Risk of spillover into other fronts (Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen Houthis) is rising.
- Oil markets, shipping lanes, and regional stability becoming increasingly volatile.
- Nuclear deal talks (scheduled in Muscat) canceled due to strikes, complicating diplomatic resolution.
Summary
The conflict has escalated dramatically into direct Iran–Israel hostilities—marking the first time in decades. Israel’s “Operation Rising Lion” struck deeply into Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure, drawing a heavy response via “True Promise III.” Civilian losses have occurred on both sides, and while international stakeholders are pushing for de-escalation, regional tensions continue rising with broader threats around the Middle East.
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