Israel-Iran strikes newest: Tehran retaliates with huge drone assault after Israel targets nuclear websites | EUROtoday

Six Iranian nuclear scientists had been killed on Friday in Israeli strikes, Iranian state media reported.

Israel has stated the assault was carried out to curb Iran’s disputed nuclear programme.

British prime minister Keir Starmer has referred to as on “all parties to step back and reduce tensions urgently” after Israeli strikes on Iran.

He stated “now is the time for restraint, calm and a return to diplomacy”.

“Escalation serves no one in the region. Stability in the Middle East must be the priority and we are engaging partners to de-escalate. Now is the time for restraint, calm and a return to diplomacy.”

Foreign secretary David Lammy stated he was “concerned” to study of Israeli strikes concentrating on Iran’s nuclear programme in a single day.

“Stability in the Middle East is vital for global security,” he stated in a submit on X.

“I’m concerned to see reports of strikes overnight. Further escalation is a serious threat to peace & stability in the region and in no one’s interest.

“This is a harmful second & I urge all events to point out restraint.”

UN’s atomic watchdog confirmed Israel had hit Iran’s Natanz nuclear site and it was closely monitoring the situation.

Iran’s revolutionary guard has confirmed the death of Hossein Salami, one of the most powerful and influential military commanders of the country.

“Without a doubt, Major General Salami was one of the most distinguished commanders of the Islamic Revolution — present on all fronts of scientific, cultural, security, and military jihad,” the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Friday.

“In all arenas, he stood at the frontlines with a spirit of sincerity, wisdom, and devotion to the Supreme Leader, defending the ideals of the Revolution and the Iranian people,” the statement said.

Major General Mohammad Bagheri, chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, has been killed in the Israeli strikes, state TV IRINN reported.

Gen Bagheri was Iran’s highest ranking military officer. He is the second senior figure in the Iranian military killed in Israel’s attack.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have confirmed the death of General Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of the revolutionary guard.

US president Donald Trump just spoke about the Israeli strikes on Fox News and appeared to distance himself from the strikes.

Mr Trump said he was aware of Israel’s plans to strike, but said his country was in no way involved in it.

But he hoped that the US’s negotiation on nuclear deal would continue.

“Iran can not have a nuclear bomb and we hope to get again to the negotiating desk. We will see,” he told Fox News.

“There are a number of folks in management that won’t be coming again,” he stated.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said it was “closely monitoring the deeply concerning situation in Iran” after Israel launched strikes on the country.

The IAEA “can verify Natanz website amongst targets. The company is in touch with Iranian authorities relating to radiation ranges. We are additionally in touch with our inspectors within the nation”, director common Rafael Grossi stated.

An Israeli navy official stated Israel was hanging “dozens” of nuclear and navy targets, together with the power at Natanz in central Iran.

The official stated Iran had sufficient materials to make 15 nuclear bombs inside days.

The Natanz complicated, positioned about 250km south of Tehran, is Iran’s largest enrichment facility and central to its nuclear programme. Analysts say it develops and assembles centrifuges used to transform uranium into nuclear gas.

Iran’s supreme chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stated in an announcement that Israel had “unleashed its wicked and bloody” hand in a criminal offense towards Iran and that it could obtain “a bitter fate for itself”.

“The regime must await a severe punishment,” he stated.

“In the enemy’s attacks, a number of commanders and scientists were martyred. Their successors and colleagues will, God willing, immediately continue their duties without pause,” he added.

“With this crime, the Zionist regime has prepared a bitter and painful fate for itself – and it will certainly receive it.”

Airspace above Israel, Iran and Iraq has been cleared out by airways after Israel launched assaults on targets in Tehran, Flightradar24 knowledge confirmed, with carriers scrambling to divert and cancel flights to maintain passengers and crew protected.

Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport was closed till additional discover, and Israel’s air defence items stood at excessive alert for doable retaliatory strikes from Iran.

Israeli flag provider El Al Airlines stated it had suspended flights to and from Israel.

Iranian airspace has been closed till additional discover, state media reported.

As reviews of strikes on Iran emerged, a lot of business flights by airways together with Dubai’s Emirates, Lufthansa and Air India had been flying over Iran.

Iraq early on Friday closed its airspace and suspended all visitors at its airports, Iraqi state media reported.

Flights steadily diverted over Central Asia or Saudi Arabia, flight monitoring knowledge confirmed.

“The situation is still emerging – operators should use a high degree of caution in the region at this time,” in accordance with Safe Airspace, a web site run by OPSGROUP, a membership-based organisation that shares flight danger info.

The US embassy in Jerusalem has directed all US authorities workers and their relations to shelter in place till additional discover over the shortly altering “security environment”.

“The US Embassy reminds US citizens of the continued need for caution and increased personal security awareness – including knowing the location of the nearest shelter in the event of a red alert as security incidents, including mortar, rocket, and missile fire, and unmanned aircraft system intrusions, often take place without any warning. The security environment is complex and can change quickly,” a safety alert by the embassy stated.

It stated the US embassy could additional limit or prohibit authorities workers and their relations from touring to sure areas of Israel (together with the Old City of Jerusalem) and the West Bank in response to safety incidents and with out advance discover.