Iran Israel War Highlights | June 21: Iran vows ‘more devastating’ blow if Israel continues assaults

Updates to this live blog have been closed. For the latest updates on the Israel-Iran conflict, follow live updates here. 

Israel Iran war live updates: President Donald Trump is known for using the phrase “two weeks” as a way to buy time, but his latest use—regarding potential U.S. military action in Iran—carries far more serious implications.

The decision to pause, following days of fiery rhetoric and social media posts about evacuating Tehran, unsettled regional markets, provoked fresh threats from Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, prompted Iranian officials to label the U.S. as Israel’s “partner in crime,” and left Israel uncertain about the next move.

Given that Trump’s “two weeks” has historically meant anything from two days to two months—or not at all—this delay has only deepened the sense of unpredictability. On Friday, regional stocks dropped, even as oil prices continued to climb—an unusual mix that would typically boost investor confidence in Gulf economies.

Israel Iran war live updates: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday warned of a "more devastating" response if Israel's nine-day bombing campaign continues, asserting that the Islamic Republic would not stop its nuclear programme "under any circumstances."

Meanwhile, Israel announced the killing of three more Iranian commanders in its ongoing offensive. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Tehran’s suspected nuclear progress had been delayed by two years.

"We will do everything that we can do there in order to remove this threat," Saar told German outlet Bild, stating that Israel would persist with its strikes.

Since June 13, both nations have exchanged intense attacks, with Israel justifying its air campaign by claiming Iran was close to developing a nuclear weapon.

Israel Iran war live updates: Iran’s Revolutionary Guards announced early Sunday that they had launched suicide drones targeting Israel, marking another round of strikes as the conflict between the two sides entered its 10th day.

"A vast wave of attack and suicide drones has been heading for hours towards their (Israeli) strategic targets throughout the regime's territory, from the north to the south of the occupied territories," Guards spokesman Ali Mohammad Naini told state television.

Israel Iran war live updates: Iranian media reported on Saturday that Israeli forces had carried out strikes on Shiraz, a southern city that houses military installations, prompting the activation of its air-defense systems.

"Shiraz's air defenses have been activated in some areas of the city and have been engaged in fighting hostile targets and Zionist aircrafts," according to Mehr news agency.

Israel Iran war live updates: Iran’s atomic agency chief Mohammad Eslami said Saturday that the Arak heavy water reactor targeted by Israel earlier in the week was focused on health-related purposes.

"The products of the Arak heavy water plant are used in the fields of health and medicine. You (Israel) are targeting a centre active in the field of medical radiopharmaceutical research," AFP quoted Eslami as saying.

Israel Iran war live updates: The Israeli military on Saturday announced it had launched a new round of airstrikes in southern Iran’s Bandar Abbas region, focusing on drone storage sites and a weapons facility.

According to a military statement, Israeli forces are "currently striking UAV storage facilities and a weapons facility in southwestern Iran in the area of Bandar Abbas."

Israel Iran war live updates: Iranian media reported that an Israeli strike on Saturday targeted a military base in Qom province, located south of Tehran, leaving one person injured, as clashes between the two rivals entered their ninth day.

"A few minutes ago, one of the evacuated military bases... was hit by projectiles from the Zionist regime," the ISNA news agency quoted an official statement from Qom province. Another outlet, Tasnim, reported that one individual was wounded.

Israel Iran war live updates: Israeli Defence Forces have targeted F-14 fighter jets operated by the Iranian Armed Forces.

Earlier, Israeli Air Force jets carried out a strike on three F-14 aircraft in central Iran.

In addition, IAF warplanes are currently conducting airstrikes on military infrastructure in the same region.

Israel Iran war live updates: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday declared that the country would not stop its nuclear activities “under any circumstances,” even as clashes with Israel continued and targeted nuclear facilities.

During a phone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron, Pezeshkian said, "We are ready to discuss and cooperate to build confidence in the field of peaceful nuclear activities, however, we do not agree to reduce nuclear activities to zero under any circumstances," according to the official IRNA news agency.

Israel Iran war live updates: Israel on Saturday said it had foiled an Iranian plot to target its citizens in Cyprus, even as hostilities between the two long-standing rivals entered their ninth day.

Foreign Minister Gideon Saar posted on X that Iran's Revolutionary Guards had "tried to carry out an attack on Israeli citizens in Cyprus", which has become a hub for thousands of Israelis either waiting to return home or who have recently left the country.

"Thanks to the activity of the Cypriot security authorities, in cooperation with Israeli security services, the terror attack was thwarted," Saar said.

Earlier in the day, Cyprus police announced the arrest of a suspect on charges related to espionage and terrorism.

Israel Iran war live updates: 5 army personnel were killed during an Israeli attack on Iran, reported AFP.

Israel Iran war live updates: B-2 stealth bombers have taken off from the US and are headed over the Pacific, multiple news outlets reported, as Donald Trump weighs joining the Israel-Iran conflict.

Israel Iran war live updates: Iran's President said the country will not halt nuclear activity amid its conflict with Israel, reported AFP.

Israel Iran war live updates: Iran warns of ‘devastating’ response to continued Israeli aggression, reported AFP.

Israel Iran war live updates: Iran told France on Saturday that its nuclear rights cannot be taken away by ‘threat or war’ amid the country's escalating conflict with Israel, reported AFP.

Israel Iran war live updates: Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar accused Iran's Revolutionary Guards on Saturday of trying to attack Israeli citizens in Cyprus.

In a post on X, Saar said the attack was not successful, “thanks to the activity of the Cypriot security authorities, in cooperation with Israeli security services.”

Israel Iran war live updates: The US ambassador to Israel has said that the Department of State has started assisted departure flights, reported AFP.

Israel Iran war live updates: Yemen's Houthis have threatened to attack US ships in the Red Sea if they strike Iran, reported AFP.

Israel Iran war live updates: Students from Jammu and Kashmir who were evacuated from Iran by the Indian government have been stranded on the Pathankot highway for over 2 hours after their bus broke down.

Israel Iran war live updates: Iran has stated that it will review the discussions at Geneva on Friday and is open to negotiations with European countries but added that their proposals so far had been ‘unrealistic,' reported Reuters.

Israel Iran war live updates: The IAEA on Saturday stated that though Israeli strikes had hit a centrifuge manufacturing workshop in the Esfahan area, there was no nuclear material on the site due to which no radiological damages were incurred.

Israel Iran war live updates: Iran on Saturday for the first time acknowledged that it had detained a German bicyclist on allegations of spying amid its conflict with Israel, reported AP.

Israel Iran war live updates:  Nepal's foreign minister Dr Arzu Rana Deuba thanked his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar for “India's swift assistance in helping to evacuate Nepali nationals from Iran.”

He said, in a post on X, "India's support in Nepal's evacuation efforts is a reflection of strength of Nepal- India ties." 

Israel Iran war live updates: ‘Powerful blasts’ heard in southwest Iran, reported AFP.