Israel-Iran, raid on Tehran and global threats: the war spreads

Israeli jets strike the Iranian capital, while Tehran warns the US, UK and France: ‘We will strike your bases.’ Nuclear negotiations suspended

An apparent calm marked Shabbat in Israel, but tensions are running high. After Iran’s attack during the night and early morning, the Israeli army announced that no new launches were imminent, authorising people to move away from shelters. Meanwhile, Israeli air raids have continued unabated: in the last 24 hours, the Air Force has repeatedly struck targets in Tehran, paving the way for its jets by destroying anti-aircraft systems and an underground missile base.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Israel would continue to strike “with force” and that “the ayatollahs cannot even imagine the extent of the damage”. Israeli authorities reported that they had killed nine scientists linked to Iran’s nuclear programme and destroyed infrastructure at sites in Natanz and Isfahan.

The conflict has also drawn in Western powers: the United States has assisted Israel in defending itself against missiles launched from the air, land and sea, while the United Kingdom has deployed forces in the region. Tehran’s reaction was immediate: it threatened to strike American, British and French military bases if they continued to support Israel.

Netanyahu said that in the first two days of the war there were three fatalities, two seriously injured, seven moderately injured and 165 slightly injured. Approximately 150 missiles were fired at Israel, with 17 sites hit.

On the diplomatic front, Iran blew up the new round of nuclear talks scheduled in Oman. Iranian President Pezeshkian accused the US of dishonesty for supporting Israel in the midst of negotiations. Despite Trump’s overtures, the negotiations seem to be stalled.

Israeli Defence Minister Katz warned: “If Khamenei continues to launch missiles, Tehran will go up in flames”. He accused the Iranian supreme leader of turning his country’s citizens into hostages. The war has now spread beyond the borders of Israel and Iran, in a spiral of escalation involving more and more international players.

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