Israel Iran conflict highlights: Tel Aviv targeted Tehran's defence ministry HQ, blasts heard in city

Israeli military Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said tens of thousands of soldiers had been called up and "prepared across all borders".

"We are amidst a historic campaign unlike any other. This is a critical operation to prevent an existential threat, by an enemy who is intent on destroying us," he said.

Israeli Minister Gideon Saar was holding "marathon of calls" with counterparts around the world regarding Israel's attack on Iran, the foreign ministry said in a statement. (Reuters)

At least two nuclear scientists, Fereydoun Abbasi and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi were killed in Israeli strikes in Tehran, reported Iranian state media.

According to Iran's Revolutionary Guards corps, whose top commander Hossein Salami was killed in the strikes, several children were also victims of Israel's overnight attack in a residential area in Tehran, Reuters reported.

The United States, which was in talks with Iran over a nuclear deal when the latter was hit by Israel under ‘Operation Rising Lion’, still hopes that the talks could continue, AFP reported citing a US official. 

"We still intend to have talks Sunday," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Whether Iran has agreed for the talks or not remains unknown.

Hossein Salami, a high-ranking hardliner within the Iranian regime, was known for his vocal opposition to both Israel and the United States. “We are proud to be designated a terrorist group by America,” he had said in 2019.

Salami was born in Golpayegan in 1960. He joined the IRGC during the Iran–Iraq war while pursuing higher education.

Steadily through the ranks, the 65-year-old become deputy commander and later assuming leadership of the IRGC on April 21, 2019, when Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appointed him as commander-in-chief. Read more.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards vowed revenge after the killing of its chief Hossein Salami on Friday in Israeli attacks on the country.

The attacks "will not remain unanswered and (Israel) must await harsh and regrettable revenge", said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in a statement read on state TV.

Director General of UN nuclear watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Mariano Grossi said that IAEA can confirm Natanz site has been hit in Iran. 

“The IAEA is closely monitoring the deeply concerning situation in Iran. Agency can confirm Natanz site among targets. The Agency is in contact with Iranian authorities regarding radiation levels. We are also in contact with our inspectors in the country," he said in a statement.

The New York Police Department said that it is “tracking the situation in the Middle East” after Israel struck Iran under ‘Operation Rising Lion’.

“Out of an abundance of caution, we're deploying additional resources to Jewish, Israeli & other sites throughout NYC. We’re coordinating with our federal partners & we'll continue to monitor for any potential impact to NYC,” said NYPD in a post on X.

Reacting to Israel's overnight strikes on several nuclear and military sites in Iran, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the “military escalation” by Israel in the Middle East.

In a statement through his spokesperson, Guterres said that he was “concerned” by Israel's action “while talks between Iran and the United States on the status of Iran’s nuclear programme are underway.”

“The Secretary-General asks both sides to show maximum restraint, avoiding at all costs a descent into deeper conflict, a situation that the region can hardly afford,” Farhan Haq, the UN spokesperson, said in statement on Thursday. (AP) 

Iran's Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri was also "likely eliminated" in Israel's overnight strikes on Iran under ‘Operation Rising Lion’, said an Israeli security official, reported AFP.

After Israel struck triggering security concerns in the area and Iran's airspace getting closed, Air India has diverted multiple flights. 

In a post on X, Air India said, "Due to the emerging situation in Iran, the subsequent closure of its airspace and in view of the safety of our passengers, the following Air India flights are either being diverted or returning to their origin:

AI130 – London Heathrow-Mumbai – Diverted to Vienna

AI102 – New York-Delhi – Diverted to Sharjah

AI116 – New York-Mumbai – Diverted to Jeddah

AI2018 – London Heathrow-Delhi – Diverted to Mumbai

AI129 – Mumbai-London Heathrow – Returning to Mumbai

AI119 – Mumbai-New York – Returning to Mumbai

AI103 – Delhi-Washington – Returning to Delhi

AI106 – Newark-Delhi – Returning to Delhi

AI188 – Vancouver-Delhi – Diverting to Jeddah

AI101 – Delhi-New York – Diverting to Frankfurt/Milan

AI126 – Chicago-Delhi – Diverting to Jeddah

AI132 – London Heathrow-Bengaluru – Diverted to Sharjah

AI2016 – London Heathrow-Delhi – Diverted to Vienna

AI104 – Washington-Delhi – Diverted to Vienna

AI190 – Toronto-Delhi – Diverted to Frankfurt

AI189 – Delhi-Toronto – Returning to Delhi

We regret the inconvenience caused to our passengers due to this unforeseen disruption and are making every effort to minimize it, including providing accommodation for passengers. Refunds on cancellation or complimentary rescheduling is also being offered to guests who opt for it. Alternative arrangements are being made to fly passengers to their destinations."

After Israel's overnight strikes on Iran, United States President Donald Trump will attend a National Security Council meeting on Friday morning, said the White House said late on Thursday, reported Reuters. 

The meeting will be held at 11 am (1500 GMT) on Friday, the White House said. 

US and Iranian officials were scheduled to hold a sixth round of talks on Tehran's escalating uranium enrichment program in Oman on Sunday, according to officials from both countries and their Omani mediators. But the talks have appeared to be deadlocked.

Trump said on Thursday an Israeli strike on Iran "could very well happen" but reiterated his hopes for a peaceful resolution. (Reuters)

US Democratic senators sharply criticized Israel on Thursday for its strikes on Iran, as the White House distanced itself from the attack but Republican senators voiced gratitude to Israel.

"Israel's alarming decision to launch airstrikes on Iran is a reckless escalation that risks igniting regional violence," Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island said in a statement.

"Strikes threaten not only the lives of innocent civilians but the stability of the entire Middle East and the safety of American citizens and forces," Reed warned. 

"This action ordered by Prime Minister Netanyahu appears to deliberately undermine ongoing American diplomatic negotiations about Iran's nuclear program," said Senator Andy Kim of New Jersey on X.

Tom Cotton of Arkasas insisted on X that "Iran is the world's worst state sponsor of terrorism, has the blood of thousands of Americans on its hands, and is rushing to build not only nuclear weapons, but also missiles that can strike the United States." (AFP) 

Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that Israel would suffer severe consequences after launching deadly attacks on the Islamic republic on Friday, including Tehran and nuclear sites.

"With this crime, the Zionist regime has set itself for a bitter and painful fate and it will definitely receive it," Khamenei said in a statement. (AFP)

Netanyahu warned of Iran's broader global threat after Israeli attacks on Iran. He said that Iran plans to give ‘world’s most dangerous weapons' tp its terrorist proxies. 

"We will not let the world's most dangerous regime get the world's most dangerous weapons. And Iran plans to give those weapons, nuclear weapons, to its terrorist proxies. That would make the nightmare of nuclear terrorism all too real. The increasing range of Iran's ballistic missiles would bring that nuclear nightmare to the cities of Europe and eventually to America," he said. 

Shedding light on Iran's attacks on Israel in the past and how it was gearing up for future attacks, Netanyahu said, "Last year, Iran fired 300 ballistic missiles at Israel. Each of these missiles carries a tonne of explosives and threatens the lives of hundreds of people. Soon, those missiles could carry a nuclear payload, threatening the lives not of hundreds, but of millions. Iran is gearing up to produce 10,000 of those ballistic missiles within three years. Now just imagine, imagine 10,000 tonnes of TNT landing on a country the size of New Jersey. This is an intolerable threat. It must be stopped."

Reaction to the strikes by Israel under ‘Operation Rising Lion’, Iran's Armed Forces spokesman says Israel and the US will pay a heavy price for the attack, reported Reuters.

After Israeli strikes on Iran, the latter is reportedly planning to retaliate and ‘give a harsh response’, an Iranian security source told Reuters.

"The response to the Israeli attack will be harsh and decisive," the official said, adding that details of Iran's retaliation "are being discussed at the highest levels" when asked whether the attack would be imminent.

Benchmark Brent crude oil prices have spiked by more than 8% over the Israel's strikes on Iran, which have targeted the country’s nuclear program and raised the potential for an all-war war, reported AP. 

Indian Embassy in Iran has issued advisory for Indians to “remain vigilant” and “avoid all unnecessary movements” following Israel's strikes on Iran. 

“In view of the current situation in Iran, all Indian nationals & persons of Indian origin in Iran are requested to remain vigilant, avoid all unnecessary movements, follow the Embassy’s Social Media accounts & observe safety protocols as advised by local authorities,” the Embassy said in a post on X. 

During an address after Israel conducted ‘Operation Rising Lion’, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu shared his message for the people of Iran and said that their fight is not with them but with Iran's dictatorial regime, 

“Our fight is not with you, our fight is with the brutal dictatorship that has oppressed you for 46 years. I believe the day of your liberation is near and when that happens, the great friendship between our two ancient people will flourish once again,” said Netanyahu. 

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said that in defending itself, Israel has also defended its Arab neighbours and put forth Lebanon and Syria as examples. 

“In defending ourselves, we also defend others. We defend our Arab neighbours. They too have suffered from Iran's campaign of chaos and carnage. Our actions against Iran's proxy Hezbollah led to the establishment of a new government in Lebanon and the collapse of Assad's murderous regime in Syria. The people of those two countries now have a chance for a different future, a better future” said Netanyahu.

According to Iranian state television, the head of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard is feared dead after an Israeli attack.

The report offered few other details about what happened to Gen. Hossein Salami of the Guard. The report on air added that one other top Guard officials, as well as two nuclear scientists were also feared dead.

State television also reported the attack set the headquarters of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard ablaze. (AP)

"Eighty years ago, the Jewish people were the victims of a holocaust perpetrated by the Nazi regime. Today, the Jewish state refuses to be a victim of a nuclear holocaust...Now as Prime Minister, I have made it clear time and again Israel will never allow those who call for our annihilation to develop the means to achieve that goal. Tonight, Israel backs those words with action. We struck at the heart of Iran's nuclear enrichment program, we struck at the heart of Iran's nuclear weaponisation program, we targeted Iran's main enrichment facility in Natanz, we targeted Iran's leading nuclear scientist working on the uranium bomb, we also struck at the heart of Iran's ballistic missile program," said Israel PM Netanyahu in a video address. 

“In recent years, Iran has produced enough highly enriched uranium for nine atom bombs. In recent months, Iran has taken steps that it has never taken before, steps to weaponise this enriched uranium. And if not stopped, Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in a very short time. It could be a year, it could be within a few months…This is a clear and present danger to Israel's very survival,” said Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu