US Politics
Israel-Iran live: Israel warns it won’t stop missile attacks ‘until threat removed’ as Iran claims children among 224 dead
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Iran and Israel continue to target each other with devastating missiles and airstrikes with explosions heard in Tehran and Tel Aviv on Sunday evening.
In Israel, rescue teams combed through rubble of residential buildings destroyed by Iranian missiles, using sniffer dogs and heavy excavators to look for survivors after at least 10 people, including children, were killed, raising the two-day toll to 13.
In Iran, images from the capital showed the night sky lit up by a huge blaze at a fuel depot after Israel began strikes against Iran’s oil and gas sector – raising the stakes for the global economy and the functioning of the Iranian state.
Iran’s state media said on Sunday that the death toll of Israel’s attacks on Iran since Friday has climbed to 224, of which 90 per cent are civilians, including children.
It comes as Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned “Iran will pay a heavy price for the murder of civilians, women and children.”
Israeli military international spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani told Sky News that Israel “will continue operating until we feel we have removed this existential threat”.
Iran’s armed forces told residents of Israel to leave the vicinity of “vital areas” for their safety.
Watch | Iranian minister accuses Israel of ‘deliberate strike’ on ministry building
Jabed Ahmed16 June 2025 02:00
Trump rejected Israeli plan to kill Iran’s supreme leader, reports say
Jabed Ahmed16 June 2025 01:00
Comment | What’s happening between Iran and Israel is a direct result of Trump’s carelessness
Jabed Ahmed15 June 2025 23:59
Trump says he hopes Israel and Iran can strike ceasefire
Donald Trump has said he hopes Israel and Iran can broker a ceasefire but said sometimes countries have to fight it out first.
Talking to reporters as he left for the G7 summit in Canada, Trump said the US will continue to support Israel but declined to say if he asked the US ally to pause strikes on Iran.
“I hope there’s going to be a deal. I think it’s time for a deal and we’ll see what happens. Sometimes they have to fight it out, but we’re gonna see what happens,” Trump said.
Jabed Ahmed15 June 2025 23:36
Netanyahu says Iran tried to assassinate Trump as he tries to justify air strikes on Fox News
Jabed Ahmed15 June 2025 23:34
Recap of today’s events
New attacks kill civilians:
Israel and Iran launched fresh strikes on Sunday, killing and injuring civilians on both sides.
Iran said at least 224 people have been killed since Friday, the majority civilians, while Israeli authorities reported at least 10 deaths and multiple injuries in missile attacks on Tel Aviv, Haifa and southern Israel.
Mutual warnings to evacuate:
Both militaries urged civilians to evacuate danger zones. Israel told Iranians near military or nuclear sites to leave, while Iran warned Israelis to avoid “vital areas”.
Israel targets Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure:
Israel claims to have struck nuclear sites, military bases and the Defence Ministry in Tehran. Explosions were reported across Iran, including a major fire at a fuel depot.
Iran rules out ceasefire talks:
Tehran told Qatar and Oman it will not negotiate a ceasefire with the U.S. while under Israeli attack, Reuters reports.
Trump vetoed Israeli plan to assassinate Khamenei:
Two US officials told Reuters that Donald Trump blocked an Israeli request to target Iran’s Supreme Leader. Trump later warned Iran not to strike American targets, while denying US involvement in Israeli strikes.
High-profile Iranian commander killed:
Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported the killing of the Revolutionary Guards’ intelligence chief and his deputy in Israeli attacks on Tehran.
Netanyahu hints at regime change:
The Israeli PM said regime change could result from the campaign, though the official Israeli position remains focused on dismantling Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities.
G7 leaders meeting in Canada discussed efforts to prevent escalation.
Jabed Ahmed15 June 2025 23:28
Watch | Iran claim they have ‘no intention of going towards a nuclear bomb’
Jabed Ahmed15 June 2025 23:02
Iran rejects ceasefire negotiations while under Israeli attack, official says
Iran has told mediators Qatar and Oman that it is not open to negotiating a ceasefire while it is under Israeli attack, an official briefed on the communications told Reuters.
“The Iranians informed Qatari and Omani mediators that they will only pursue serious negotiations once Iran has completed its response to the Israeli pre-emptive strikes,” said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the conflict.
Iran made “clear that it will not negotiate while under attack,” the official said.
Jabed Ahmed15 June 2025 22:32
224 people killed since Israel began its attacks on Iran, Iranian state media says
The death toll of Israel’s attacks on Iran since Friday has climbed to 224, of which 90 per cent are civilians, Iran’s state media said.
Jabed Ahmed15 June 2025 22:21
The Independent View | The UK must exercise all its leverage to de-escalate the Middle East
Read our full editorial below:
Jabed Ahmed15 June 2025 21:59